


Mirror

by angelslaugh



Series: Reflecting the Sun [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Naruto
Genre: Blood and Violence, Brief Mention of other fandoms, Fem!Harry, Fem!Harry is Lal Mirch, Multi, Naruto is Skull, Other Fandoms Not Mentioned in Tags, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-04-20 22:50:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 52,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14271249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelslaugh/pseuds/angelslaugh
Summary: It's just an object, really. Just an item that wouldn't be out of place. A simple, handheld mirror, held together by tape and rubber bands.For Reborn, anyway.It's not so simple for Skull.





	1. Chapter 1

_“Naruto, you don’t have to do this.” Tsunade looked tearily at her grandchild-like subordinate._

_Naruto simply smiled. “Yes, I do, Tsunade-sama. The bijuu cannot stay in this world.”_

_The mirror, powered by chakra, with – apparently – a copy on the other side – glowed. Chakra would flow to Naruto, continuing to give him energy. Well, even if it hadn’t the bijuu reassured him that they could twist the energy and feed themselves, then him._

_Naruto shouldered his pack and stepped through the mirror, refusing to let any tears fall. As he did, he morphed into a purple-haired, punkish boy._

_The mirror was sealed behind him, forming a small round thing._

_Unbreakable, powerful in its own right._

_Naruto did one last thing before letting himself fade into this world as a face. He sealed the mirror shut; it would give him energy even in its inert form. This way nobody could come after him, suspect he had been given new lease on life._

_Only the loyal knew, the ANBU who had guarded his Hokage, his sensei and Iruka-sensei._

_Naruto slid the mirror in the backpack and walked away, choosing a name that wasn’t normal but that fit his new persona._

_Skull de Mort had arrived._

~:~

He pushed his bike into his garage, yawning as he felt the sores from his earlier antics ache.

His mirror had nearly been stolen; he was lucky to have caught the thief. He examined himself in his bathroom’s mirror, seeing his heavily pierced face and sighed, bracing himself and thinking, staring deep into the sink.

His mind was far away, speculating on what _might have been._

He closed his eyes after a certain amount of time and shook his head, washing his face and pulling his piercings out.

~:~

“So, _this_ is the home of the Immortal Skull?” A man with a fedora gazed over the shitty apartment block. “Interesting.”

Said stuntman rolled his bike out, ignoring the French cursing and the plant that shattered over his head, kicking it on and rolling out of the place.

Renato Sinclair blended in with the scenery, letting the world hide him.

Hiding in plain sight.

“Hmm.” Renato stared at the plant, then strode in to the ‘Immortal Skull’s’ apartment.

 It wasn’t filthy. In fact, it was too neat.

Renato was a professional; it didn’t take a genius to know that killing Skull _here_ wouldn’t be too much of a challenge.

However, if rumors of his longevity were true, then Skull could _really_ be immortal.

He spotted something that could _maybe_ bring him insight into the other’s life.

A makeup mirror.

Renato smirked, then flared his Flames, slipping the mirror in his sleeve.

~:~

Skull tore the room apart.

 _Shit! I_ know _I left it on the table!_ He filled the room with his chakra – and froze.

An unfamiliar energy was in the room.

Like a chain reaction, the stuntman’s energy shattered the glass as his rage burned. Skull grabbed his keys and slammed his door, kicking his bike on and speeding out of it, following that energy with a focused rage.

 _How dare they take my way home._ Unknown to Skull, his energy fed off of that curious trail.

And a small, orange-purple Flame burned on his fingers.

~:~

The feeling of a Raging Element pulled Renato out of his daze as the ominous sound of a bike met his ears.

He smirked, pulling down his fedora and pulling in his Sun Flames, stepping onto the train calmly, watching as a bike screeched to a stop.

He tossed the mirror up in the air lazily as the train pulled off, winking at the man.

~:~

Skull growled. “Where is that train headed?” His glare at the woman made her stutter, but eventually Skull got the answer.

Skull considered his options as the woman babbled on about where the train was going.

This was going to be a harder stunt… But if he used the camera on his bike and his helmet, he could connect to the ring.

He grinned and sat on his bike, pushing the camera on and revving his bike.

“Here we go!”

~:~

“ _Please welcome the live viewing – rare as it is – of the Immortal Skull!”_

_A crowd roared with delight as two screens came on._

_“Sorry I can’t be there in person, folks. Someone kinda pissed me off – this viewing will be short but it’ll leave ya satisfied!”_

_The camera jumped, thudding on a track. The purple eyes that people rarely got to see up close glimmered with anger and amusement before it switched to an outside view – of a departing train._

_“There’s the train I’m following.”_

_The bike kept going forward, but Skull twisted around and showed a train behind him._

_“Let’s see if I can’t outrun this train, huh?”_

_Skull laughed, wild and free._

~:~

Skull raced down the track, feeling for that energy.

The trail started on another platform, so Skull had to wrench himself off and rev his bike, people clearing a path for him. Skull executed an amazing flip, wincing a bit as he felt the seat slam into him harshly underneath, and sped up the railing, following that energy until he was out, squealing to a stop.

“Show’s over, folks, got a guy to catch!” he announced to the cameras, shutting off both of them before racing off.

Taking a glance at his gas gauge, he swore to himself and sped into a gas station, flinging euros at the man, stating his pump number and pumping the gas into his baby. Before ten minutes had passed, Skull was gone again, speeding so fast no law enforcement had a chance in hell of catching him.

The trail stopped, the strange energy nearly suffocating Skull.

Skull looked around, taking off his helmet to look.

_Mistake._

His sense of alarm made him growl in frustration, readying himself to put his helmet on.

He fell backwards in the grass, eyes glazed over in a faux impression of death. Honestly, his eyes had just stopped working for the moment (well, most of his body had, anyway) because of the bullet easing itself out of his brain.

He slipped into unconsciousness anyway, unaware that the same man who’d shot him was standing over him, an interested light in his eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Violence.

Renato snapped his fingers, sending the lackeys away from the bike.

“I just want to keep the bike here temporarily,” he informed the Eighth. “Someone might collect it soon.”

Daniela snorted. “I don’t mind. _Hey, if it ain’t yours don’t touch it!”_ she reprimanded the idiot who touched the bike after the minions of the Vongola set the bike in the garage.

“Y-yes Boss!”

Daniela sighed. “Do you need a safe house, Renato?”

Renato smirked. “Already using one.”

His watch beeped, and Renato took that as a signal that it was time to go.

~:~

Skull woke up, tied to a broken headboard.

That strange energy saturated the area, making him blink in confusion.

His mirror lay within reach of his boot, if he could reach a few more inches.

He yanked at the ties, trying to make it a _little_ looser to where he could shift down, but they were tied _expertly._

Skull took a deep breath and shoved his body down, reaching with a booted foot to his mirror.

Blood sprayed out of his foot.

 _“Dammit!”_ he yelped, instinctually curling it in. Through tears of pain he saw a man enter the room, the plastic underneath crinkling.

“So, _you_ are the Immortal Skull I’ve just been paid so handsomely for shooting in the head.”

Skull sucked in a breath.

“Who the _hell_ are _you?”_

“World’s Number One Hitman, to start with,” the man said with a lazy smirk.

Skull’s eyes widened. “You’re –“ the man’s smirk grew wider. “ _You’re –“_ he said again, making his eyes grow wider. “Who again?” he asked, his expression flipping to questioning. “A _hitman?_ Tch. Those things don’t exist.”

He was hyper aware of the gun pressed against his head.

“Don’t be so sure, kid.”

Skull’s right eye twitched. “I’m twenty-four,” he spat, adding six years to his age automatically. He’d been in this world for three years, making a name for himself.

“I was hired to kill you,” Renato murmured. “Technically I did. _Twice._ I was lucky that the second photo didn’t have any bullets in it.” He hummed. “Should I kill you a _third_ time?”

Skull swallowed. “Go ahead, if you think it’ll do you any good,” he challenged the hitman.

“You’re not the vain type, are you, Skull?”

The sudden question took the stuntman off guard. “What?” he asked, blankly. “No, why?”

“Then tell me. When you have a perfectly good mirror, why used this damaged thing?”

He nudged the tiny mirror with his toe.

“That’s none of your business,” Skull said flatly, eyeing the mirror.

It was definitely old, and in the three years past it had been damaged multiple times. Skull had learned that if he taped the glass in place, it would eventually go back to a smooth surface. And, of course, if he _kept_ tape over the glass part, there wouldn’t be much of an issue. Keeping it closed was simple with rubber bands.

“You’re right, and I don’t really care. I’m just curious – _how_ did you survive getting shot, point-blank?”

“Hell spits me back out,” Skull said immediately, just like he did for the crowds. “And I’m no angel, so I guess life it is.” He grinned broadly.

The truth was, Skull _didn’t_ know what kept him ‘immortal’. Obviously, his body ceased to function whenever he was killed in this world. But as to _why_ he kept returning to life _…_ Now _that_ escaped the stuntman.

The hitman scrutinized Skull for a moment.

“I think I’ll let you go,” he mused. “But, unfortunately, I have to release you from life as the ‘Immortal Skull’. Or just find a contract on my client.”

“Yeah, you should do that,” Skull agreed. “I’m never going to _stop_ being a stuntman.”

His foot struck, too fast for the hitman to follow, bringing in his precious mirror, keeping his gaze on the hitman.

“Well, I’ll let you keep your damn mirror.” He cocked his gun.

“Are you kidding me?” Skull groaned, squeezing his eyes shut. “Get it over with, dick.”

The shot echoed in the home.

~:~

Skull groaned, shaking his head.

He was in the same park as when he’d first been unceremoniously killed by the jackass hitman.

“I hate you, you damn ass.” He massaged his forehead before swinging his leg over his bike and putting on his helmet, something shifting in his pocket.

He patted it, and underneath the helmet, he grinned to himself.

Looks like the hitman _hadn’t_ kept the mirror.

~:~

Skull slipped into the home of the idiot who’d actually hired him to take out two people in his home.

It had been a quiet month, a month Skull had used to brush up on his skills as a shinobi. Since meeting that hitman Skull knew he had to figure out his place in the world.

And… He’d realized that, after taking a year of leave from the circus.

(He hadn’t asked for it – simply left his ringmaster with a note.)

Skull slipped in and quietly snuck into the west wing.

The fucking moron had assumed Skull would do the job if half a million euros were given to him to even _consider_ the job.

The mistress and her daughter were the targets, and Skull had canvassed the house six times in the last week alone – enough to know the mistress and her daughter were _innocent._

Skull may not be actively using his chakra, but he didn’t exactly _need_ to. The mundane existence of these fools had led him to start calling them _mortals,_ as though he were not.

He opened the door to the mistress’ chambers, seeing his actual prey.

The mistress stiffened as Skull placed a hand over her mouth, his goggles preventing her from knowing who he was. A bit of hair dye and he was a black-haired nobody.

Skull cut the man’s throat, jerking the woman out soundlessly as he stopped the dying gurgles of the man, before walking into the child’s room, where the mistress and child stood in fear.

Not one of his cleanest kills, because Skull could definitely still feel blood on his suit. Skull ignored it and tossed the rope made of bedclothes down, then silently indicated they should go.

The mistress nodded and hurried down, the girl going next. Skull went down last, untwisting the bedsheets with a flick of his wrist.

He caught the bundle and threw them to the woman.

He was _so_ happy he’d thought of all this earlier and planned it out to the finite detail. The three vanished into the night; Skull’s neck tingled and a hint of that hitman’s energy spiked near him.

Skull nearly groaned aloud, but kept running with the little girl and her mother.

He supposed he should expect a visit from the hitman soon.

Hopefully the asshole wouldn’t kill him this time.


	3. Chapter 3

Renato hummed to himself, leisurely strolling down the hallway. He was leaving a mess.

He opened the door where three more soon-to-be victims were housed (well, two; the third one was in a huge closet made into a bedroom suitable for a bastard child, and Renato didn’t kill children if he didn’t have to) and stopped.

“I’m glad I don’t have to waste bullets.”

He saw footprints, and saw some of the carpeting hadn’t fully sprung up in some places.

The mistress had been rescued by the don’s murderer.

The energy in the room clicked, and Renato smirked to himself.

“I suppose I get to make another visit,” he said, mostly to himself, shooting someone who was dragging himself towards Renato, presumably to kill him. The man died without more sound.

Renato actually found himself _wanting_ to see that civilian.

Though, judging by what a mess he made, not a civilian for long.

~:~

Skull came out of his shower, drying his hair.

Elena and Aurore sat at the table, intimidated by the man in the fedora.

“You know, you should knock before you come in,” Skull said, setting the towel down and crossing his hands over his chest, the scar there smaller than it had been several years ago yet still visibly present. “Ladies, can you give us the room?”

“You killed the Estrello Famiglia don,” the man said, not giving them a chance. “For the sake of a whore and a bastard.”

“For the sake of two innocents who shouldn’t have been in the crossfire,” Skull countered. “What would you have done?”

“Killed one of them,” he said, glancing at Elena.

Elena’s grip tightened on Aurore.

“Do it, and you’ll have to kill me,” Skull said, his eyes hardening. “Permanently.”

The hitman smirked, tugging his fedora down.

“One day, maybe,” the man said. “Leave us, ladies.”

Elena and Aurore fled the room, Skull moving aside for them.

When they’d gone into the guest bedroom, Skull watched the man warily.

“If you insist on this path, I don’t want your idiot civilian attitude to get in the way,” the man said, looking directly at Skull. “Just know that if you do decide to go down such a dangerous path, after I teach you the necessities, I might be ordered to kill you.”

Skull smiled sarcastically. “Good luck with that.”

“I go by Reborn,” the hitman continued. “My real name… Well, if you continue on this path, you’ll find out.”

Skull let his face become a smile. “I suppose the sentiment is returned,” he told Reborn, who looked taken aback before smirking.

“Ah, yes, this’ll be fun,” Reborn said with a grin, standing and towering over the younger. If Skull had to guess, Reborn was actually twenty-four.

Skull stared into his eyes, being the first one to drop his eyes to stare at the man’s neck.

Seemingly satisfied, Reborn left the room, tipping his hat as he left the apartment complex.

“It’s alright now, ladies,” he told Aurore and Elena. “He’s gone.”

Elena and Aurore left their room.

Skull took a deep breath, thinking.

“Hey, Elena, I’m thinking of _liberating_ people who don’t want to be in the mafia. If you want to stay, there might be a paycheck in it for ya,” Skull offered.

Elena eyed him seriously. “You are trouble,” Elena said with a sigh. “I will think on your offer, _giovanotto (young man).”_

“That’s all I ask, _signora,”_ Skull replied, not batting an eye to Elena’s ‘young man’ comment. To her thirty, he might’ve been young – he didn’t care to her wording.

“You should put on a shirt,” Elena said after a beat. “Aurore, don’t stare.”

“Nah, it’s alright,” Skull smiled, pulling on one of his many purple shirts over his head.

“I was looking at your scar.” Skull blinked at her voice, the first time he’d heard Aurore’s voice. “What happened?”

“Aurore!” Elena’s hand flew to her mouth.

Skull leaned down to Aurore, waving off Elena’s horror.

“My bestest friend in the universe thought he could gain power by killing me,” Skull told her seriously. Aurore’s dark eyes widened. “He was wrong. He nearly succeeded.”

Actually, Sasuke _had._ Thanks to Kurama, he hadn’t.

“Why?” Aurore whispered, looking scared of the answer. “Why did he think killing you would give him power?”

Skull smiled. “Because I was the most precious person to him,” he answered, knowing in his soul he was right.

~:~

Hyacinth Potter opened her eyes, the figures of the people around her catching her off guard.

“A Rainy Sky… Interesting. Have you forced her to bond with you?”

“No, sir. We thought it would be best until her Flames came out.”

The Auror’s magic lashed out, sending them backwards.

That was all she could do before she passed out again, hearing a scuffle in the hallway outside the room.

~:~

Skull breathed heavily, nursing an arm right before he popped it back in his socket.

The Ottava Vongola Donna had requested him for a rescue operation headed by an unknown second party. Skull assumed it was Reborn, as Reborn had mentioned that Vongola was one of the _better_ mafia to be allied to.

Of course, Skull didn’t want to be _unnecessarily_ subtle, so he’d made a show. A show of being lost, having been told that he was supposed to be in Venice soon.

He’d been given two blank stares before Skull had lit up the charges, roaring past in an amazing move.

Now, he was cutting down any who opposed him.

And no, it wasn’t subtle. This was a massacre.

He’d heard it with his enhanced hearing – _the magic bitch giving you trouble?_ The Notte Oscura Famiglia was known to practice black magic – whether real or not to be determined – but upon one of Skull’s recon at a different base of this Famiglia he’d seen proof that this world _did_ hold a magic he wasn’t familiar with.

He slammed the door open, seeing an unconscious woman with few clothes on sitting on a chair. Skull’s anger soared.

This woman was _defenseless **and**_ a _civilian._

Skull’s eyes flashed a vivid red, and his hands flew faster than thought.

Using chakra, he retrieved his kunai.

He picked up the defenseless woman and stalked out of the room, coming face to face with a gun.

Skull’s grip on the civilian tightened.

“You’re not supposed to be down here,” Reborn commented, looking at the destruction and death littering the hallway.

Skull took that as a moment to calm himself, peeking in a reflective surface to see he was no longer looking red-eyed. “Yeah, well, I heard something about forcing a bitch to do something. You know Notte Oscura members, they like to hurt women and children.”

“Hmm.” Reborn looked at him, then at the woman. “You know where her clothes are?”

“Something tells me you’ll find them soon enough,” Skull countered. “I’m taking her with me.”

Reborn looked annoyed, now. “The Ottava asked me to bring anyone involved to her.”

“Well, then, you can tell the Ottava she didn’t deign to tell me any of this shit when she hired me.” Skull felt fury rise in him again. “I’m taking her with me,” he repeated, glaring at Reborn. “And if she wants to leave and see Ottava, then whoop-de-fucking-do. _I’m_ not going to keep her against her will.”

He strode past Reborn, the gun shoved aside by Skull.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Torture is in this chapter. Mostly of the magical variety. Blood.

Hyacinth woke up with a pounding head.

“-Aurore, ignore Skull, he’s being a dick!”

“ _Elena!_ Aurore’s just a _child!”_

“I’m going to hex all of you if you don’t shut the hell up,” Hyacinth groaned, rolling over – only to fall of the side of the couch.

“ _Mamma,_ why is the _signora_ wearing your clothes?”

And Hyacinth remembered what she was doing in Italy – watching for signs of a Dark cult – a group of people called the _Notte Oscura._ She’d spent a month with her fellow Aurors, learning the language and the group’s movements, only for the group to be wildly unprepped. The users of the Soul Flame Hermione had read about had ambushed them, shooting all of them with some kind of magical bullet.

“Because she had no clothes other than Skull’s, _bambina.”_

Hyacinth blinked. A purple monstrosity slowly came into focus as she blinked away the fogginess in her vision. A man stood there, smiling an odd smile. His piercings led Hyacinth to believe she was in a home of Muggles, reaching out with her magic.

She encountered no magic within the purple-dressed man; the two girls were a different story. More than the average Muggle, yet less than the average witch, lay in the woman. Her daughter, however, was a budding witch, having more than her mother.

“Here,” the purple-dressed man leaned forward. “I’m afraid that you were held captive in a mafia basement.”

He said it with a straight face while holding out a drink.

Hyacinth took it. _Tea._

Her eyes shot to his, but the man backed away and looked to the woman.

“Reborn will most likely be back later.” The man, Skull, she assumed, glanced at the older woman. “If you and Aurore want to leave, now would probably be the time, Elena.”

“We are not going anywhere, you fool,” the woman scoffed.

“ _Mamma_ said your bedside manners are shit,” Aurore said blandly.

“Language,” Hyacinth and Skull said automatically, Skull crossing his arms.

“But Skull, _you_ were cussing around nine!”

“But _Aurore,_ I didn’t have parents to tell me anything!” Skull mocked her.

Elena sighed. “Aurore, in all seriousness, stop cussing.”

Chastised, the young girl nodded. “Yes, _Mamma.”_

Hyacinth cleared her throat.

“I’m Hyacinth,” she said. “Hyacinth Potter.” She spotted knowledge in Elena’s eyes, but Elena didn’t say a word – probably because Hyacinth may have let her despair show.

“You’re the witch lady,” Skull said, looking unsurprised when Hyacinth sucked in a sharp breath. “Don’t worry, Elena and Aurore told me _all_ about the magical world when I found out you existed.”

“You sound as though you aren’t surprised about magic,” Hyacinth said, narrowing her emerald eyes.

Amethyst eyes glimmered in amusement as he took out a pocket mirror.

Hyacinth’s eyes widened. “That was in the Ministry!”

Rookwood, one of Voldemort’s followers in the Ministry of Magic’s Department of Mystery, had stolen several objects. Among them were the Sword of Michael, the Horn of Gabrial, the Mirror of Mystery, and a shard of the Mirror of Erised.

“Well, actually, it contains a pathway to my world.” Skull shrugged and pocketed the mirror. “It’s something that keeps me alive.”

“I still don’t believe it,” Elena muttered.

Skull stuck his tongue out at her. “Whatever, Elena. Anyway. I’m Skull de Mort.”

He held out a hand, and Hyacinth took his hand.

~:~

“How did I gain three people to add to my lease?” Skull scowled at the paper he had to sign. Hyacinth was still healing from several superficial wounds – making fireplace calls to her work or some shit; Skull didn’t care at that moment. He was staring at the lease he had to resign for a fourth time. “Elena, Hyacinth! If you’re staying I need your signatures!”

“It’s _Lal Mirch_ now,” Hyacinth said, slamming down a ton of paper.

Skull blinked at her. “Okay… Why chose a name that can be easily traced?”

“You’re one to talk, Skull,” Elena said, entering quickly and picking up the paper Skull had in front of him and signing it.

“I chose it because it’s a name that can’t be traced by my people,” Hyacinth explained. “I’ve been out for three weeks and they sent _nobody._ Kingsley – the Minister for Magic – told me that there was a mole, and that he had me listed as KIA. Apparently someone wants me dead in my world, and I can’t go back until the situation’s been rectified.”

She looked troubled.

“Are you staying here?” Skull asked, knowing somehow that she wasn’t.

“No,” Hya – _Lal_ said, shaking her dark mane. “I think I’m going to explore Italy. Keep my head down until Kingsley owls me.”

Skull nodded. “If you want… Owl or whatever if you need help.”

Lal blinked at him.

“Seriously. I want to make sure you’re doing okay. I don’t tell just _anyone_ that secret I told you,” Skull told her, dead serious, placing a hand on hers.

“You told _me,”_ Elena interrupted. “And Aurore.”

“I told you because you don’t even believe me,” Skull said flatly, not removing his attention from Lal. “If ya need a place to stay, this shitty place is as good as it might get.”

Lal smiled and leaned forward, pecking Skull on the cheek.

“Thank you, Skull.”

With a _crack,_ Lal was gone.

~:~

Renato entered the home without knocking, displeased to find the girl gone and a mess. Aurore and Elena were in the house, hiding in the closet. The pretty woman from the Estrello famiglia glared at him in fear and relief; Renato only clicked his tongue and walked to the living room to search for any clues.

Skull had obviously been taking a shower when he’d been attacked (Renato wondered just how many showers Skull took on a daily basis); the puddle of blood indicated he’d been wounded at the least after Skull had tossed one of his attackers through the wooden table.

The Notte Oscura weren’t pleased, so Renato could cross that job off his mental list.

Why did _he_ have to be the one to go after the civilian?

~:~

Skull spat blood at the asshole, weakly pulling his chakra around him.

“You have no idea what you’re doing,” he told the people in front of him.

They only laughed.

Skull closed his eyes, swearing.

_Kurama._

**I understand.**

He moved his hands together, as though praying.

“Look, he’s _praying!”_

Laughter exploded.

_Well… Why won’t sync mode work??_

**Well, _genius,_ it could be because they stole your damn mirror.**

Skull groaned in annoyance. “Gods dammit!”

**And you’re weak from blood loss.**

_Well, gee, Kurama, I thought the red stuff was paint!_ Skull sighed and let his hands drop. _Guess it’s time for the ultimate idea._

**What the fuck –**

Skull let out a yell as he yanked on the cuffs, straining to break them.

Like _magic,_ lightning arced down from them.

Skull slumped, an acrid stench in the room, unconscious but alive, much to his regret.

~:~

“So, little Cloud… Why do you keep trying to escape?”

“Because I want to die,” Skull said, being honest. Actually, he didn’t know why he was being so honest. He normally was – oh, shit. He closed his eyes and shook his head. _They had to have given me a drug in the water._

“Hmm, the Veritaserum is working well.” A stick pointed at Skull. “If you wish to die, I’ll grant your request on one condition. Where is the Potter woman?”

“Dunno,” Skull said, spitting out the answer as he fought against the drug. As a genin under Jiraiya’s instruction, he’d been _trained_ to identify drugs so as to not give out the Sannin’s location if he was captured, or tell the truth in any capacity.

He hated magic now. Sure, Lal wasn’t too bad, but if this damn Famiglia chose to hurt him because of her whereabouts, he would give it his all.

“Careful,” his ears picked up. “The drug kills the user if too much is given. You’ve given him too much for him not to be compliant.”

“Shut up.” The man – Skull identified the man easily – turned to Skull. “Your compliance will be rewarded. Now, where did you last see Hyacinth Potter?”

Skull kept his mouth shut, despite the compulsion telling him to.

His tongue fought, his entire body started to get chills.

Skull did the one thing he could.

He opened his mouth.

“At my –“

His incisors flashed down, cutting off the tip of his tongue and stopping himself from revealing anything.

The man stared at him expectantly.

Skull grinned, holding the chunk of tongue out and letting it drop onto his lap.

Exclamations of disgust were heard as Skull grinned madly, his teeth stained with his own blood.

The door opened, and Skull’s heart leaped with a sort of hope.

Reborn stood there, looking mildly annoyed.

Skull’s traitorous hope died as Reborn aimed a gun at his kneecaps and let off two shots.

Skull grunted.

“You’ll not get anything through physical pain with this one,” Reborn smirked, his eyes cold. “It’s nothing personal, stuntman. You annoy me.”

Skull bared his bloody teeth.

“You’re right,” the man pointing a stick at him said. “ _Crucio!”_

A red jet of light flew into Skull, and his eyes widened as pain slammed into him.

“ _Crucio, crucio, crucio!”_

Skull’s head was thrown back as his body seized.

They laughed at his expense.

_“Scoppio di un fulmine!”_

Skull screamed as though a thousand _Chidoris_ were going through his heart.

“I _did_ just say physical pain didn’t work on him,” Reborn said, as though it didn’t bother him.

Skull grunted, glaring at Reborn hatefully.

“Oh, but this pain is meant to soften him up,” whispered the man who’d used the lightning spell. “ _Legilimens.”_


	5. Chapter 5

Kurama flicked the wizard away, forcing the wizard to leave Skull’s mind.

 **Okay, now I’m sick of this shit.** He wormed his way to the front as everything seemed to dim.

~:~

Renato shot the man who’d used his _magic_ to hurt the idiot civilian, then flared his Flames to protect himself, walking over to the civilian as chaos brewed; the arrival of other magical people gave Renato the distraction he needed.

Skull’s nose leaked blood, and he wasn’t breathing.

_Shit._

From what he’d seen, Skull’s wounds healed themselves after he’d died.

He looked up to see Skull’s eyes wide open and staring at him with red, demonic eyes.

He cut through Skull’s binds. “Good, you’re alive. We have to get out of here.”

“Why?” Renato froze, his hand on Skull’s limp wrist. There was no heartbeat, no blood flow. “Why help us after you’re the reason we’re dead?”

Okay, talking corpses. Now he’d seen it all.

“Because I like you,” Renato said. “Plus, I was just buying time for those idiots to make a mess of things. No more getting involved with magical people, they’re trouble.”

Skull’s eyes rolled up into his head, and Renato caught him as he fell listlessly to the side, _clearly_ dead.

Renato sighed and picked Skull up.

“I hate hauling corpses.”

~:~

“Ugh, can I get an aspirin or something? My head is killing me. Ugh, what is that _smell?”_

He blinked, smelling something ridiculously gross.

“That smell is _you,_ having been out cold and healing and half-dead for the past three days,” a shirtless Reborn said, entering the room and making Skull’s mouth dry from the sudden exposure to this man’s chest. Skull swallowed, looked up at Reborn, and smirked.

“Any way I can bother you for a shower?”

He winced as his face took the brunt of a towel.

“Out cold and half dead?”

“Well, mostly dead, since I had to keep you dead for two of those days,” Reborn said. “For the past twelve hours you’ve been asleep like a rock.”

Skull sighed. “Can I trouble you _not_ to keep shooting me in the head?”

“It’s so _fun,”_ Reborn said with his seemingly trademark smirk.

“Is it the whole _dying_ thing that makes you happy, or the _coming back to life_ part?” Skull asked.

“Shower, then talk. Walk _around_ the carpeting, I don’t want to kill the cleaners that would come up for your body.”

Skull made a face, mocking the hitman as he got up and stalked to the shower, using his hearing to pinpoint the bathroom.

He turned on the shower, scrubbing himself down.

The bathroom door opened, Skull washing the last of the black dye out.

“Here’s your new clothes. Try not to piss me off or I’ll shoot you. I don’t want my clothes bloody.”

Skull laughed. “I’m not known for being friendly.”

He turned his head, smirking over his shoulder.

But Reborn was staring at his back.

“Face me,” Reborn ordered, looking at Skull’s face with an unidentifiable emotion.

Skull scoffed and turned the water off, grasping the towel and turning towards the hitman. “Buy me a drink first.”

Reborn’s eyes skated down his chest, looking at the only scar Skull had, his eyes narrowing before the hitman whirled around and left the room abruptly.

~:~

_He had one scar._

Renato’s mind worked quickly. Skull had one scar on his body – two if you counted the second one being, well, on his back.

But thinking about it, both scars, while in different shapes – only slightly – were in the same place. The scar on his back was an extension from the one on his chest.

Skull came out of the bathroom in a three-piece suit. Renato smirked to himself as he noted the man _did_ wear purple well. The three-piece consisted of a purple fitted shirt, a pair of slacks, and a jacket. Skull had put on the jacket and even added the tie Renato must have put in there.

“You live in a wonderful place,” Skull said, walking towards the phone. “Mind if I make sure Elena and Aurore are okay?” he asked, his hand hovering over the phone.

“Sure.” Renato kept his hand near his gun. “Don’t say anything, like where we are.”

“I think you’re too smart to tell me,” Skull said, rolling his eyes.

There were three scars on his face. Scars that must’ve been hidden with makeup – Renato frowned, inspecting the scars on his face as Skull talked to the two civilians he kept at his place.

They weren’t scars.

No, Skull didn’t scar. Just those two that –

 _Argh._ Renato was close to being angry with Skull. Irrationally, but… Angry nonetheless.

Skull set the phone down and Renato moved, faster than a cobra, taking Skull’s jaw and inspecting those marks.

“Not tattoos,” he mused. _Not like that ridiculous teardrop under his eye._ “How are they in perfect symmetry?”

Skull blinked at him, eyeing him for a long moment. “Um, they’re birthmarks. I got another tattoo on my stomach if you wanna see another one.”

Renato touched one of them, expecting to feel… Something. Not skin that was only raised a little bit, naturally smoothed out by the planes of the man’s face.

Skull jerked his head out of Renato’s grasp, sucking in a large gulp of air.

“I need my mirror,” he said, his voice ragged.

Renato’s eyes widened in hidden delight.

Apparently, Skull was _sensitive_ when he was touched on one of his whisker marks.

“Here.” Renato showed the stuntman trust by turning his back on him for a second, fishing the mirror out of the coat pocket of his other suit.

He turned back to Skull, whose eyes were sharp.

Maybe the stuntman _did_ know of the trust Renato had showed in him.

~:~

Skull dabbed the concealer on his face, taking a deep breath as he did so.

“Skull, what ethnicity are you?”

He glanced at Reborn through the reflection of the glass.

“I’m an alien,” he said truthfully, smirking at Reborn’s annoyance. “Seriously. This is a magical mirror.”

He finished using the concealer and snapped the compact shut.

“You mentioned a tattoo on your stomach. I didn’t see it.”

“Nah, it only happens when I channel my life energy,” Skull yawned. Best to tell the truth when nobody would see it.

“Life energy?” Reborn sounded amused. “Does it take the shape of a flame?”

Skull snorted. “No.” He blinked, glancing at Reborn. “Why do you believe me?”

“An entire mafia famiglia is based around magic users, and you don’t believe that I believe you about using _life energy?_ Come on, Skull. I thought we were better allies than that!”

“Tch.” Skull rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’m not going to show you my life energy.”

‘Chakra’ didn’t exactly translate in Italian very well.

“Does it have anything to do with your eyes turning red?”

Skull felt the blood drain from his face, giving Reborn an answer.

 _Kurama, what the_ fuck?

**He killed you! He goaded them into ripping into your mind, which literally killed you!**

“Yeah, why would you do that?” Skull demanded, causing Reborn to look at him in confusion. “Why did you convince him to rip into my mind?”

Reborn’s face went blank. “How did you know about that?” he questioned, his hand twitching.

Skull glared at him, allowing his eyes to flash with Kyuubi-chakra.

“You might say I have a demon hanging over my head,” he said, stalking to the door and picking up his clothes on the way. “I don’t know where we’re at, but I can live with _not caring_ where you live.”

He opened it, only for it to slam shut.

“I _hate_ not knowing things, don’t you?” Reborn asked.

Skull turned, dropping his clothes and deciding to kiss Reborn, giving in to his impulse.

Reborn was quite receptive – and he took control of the kiss.

Skull broke it, panting a little.

“Just a taste of what _might_ happen,” he said cockily. “If I like you enough.”

Reborn’s eyes were wide and shocked.

Skull picked his clothes up, grinned, and left, grinning stupidly.


	6. Chapter 6

Renato had to regain control of himself, get the purple-haired man out of his system. Obviously, that wasn’t going to happen, as Renato found himself distracted by random things throughout his day.

“Damn it,” Renato snarled, grabbing some of his weapons. _Time to find a job._

Jobs always kept him occupied.

~:~

Skull crossed a leg over his other, thin patience about to snap.

“And you’re telling me all this because?” he asked the tall witch who had unceremoniously dropped by for some reason.

“Miss Estrello is your daughter, is she not?” the witch asked, confused.

Skull snorted. “Oi, Elena!” he shouted. “You didn’t sleep with me when I was thirteen, did you?”

“HELL NO!” Elena shouted, bursting out of the kitchen. “I mean, Aurore’s father _did_ make me have her when I was nineteen. I put you as my husband, though, Skull.”

Skull waved his hand, dismissing Elena’s worry. “Don’t worry ‘bout it, I enjoy having a daughter like Aurore. I guess I am Aurore’s dad, then. Um, we can’t afford the plane tickets to London though.”

“Hmm.” The witch glanced at Elena, who remained in the room, leaning against the doorway. “The school year has already started. Since Aurore was identified as a witch later than normal, we do have to take a parent to the school to finalize everything.”

“I am not going,” Elena said, her eyes narrowing.

“I’ll go,” Skull said, the witch glancing at him. “Can you promise you won’t be dicks with wands, though? It’s irritating when you’re cursed to near insanity.”

The witch blanched. “Whoever would use their magic to curse someone has been labeled a Dark practitioner and should be avoided at all –“

The door slammed open, Reborn entering and slamming the door shut.

“I’m staying here for a few days,” he announced, waltzing into the kitchen, passing an annoyed-looking Elena.

“Well, is Aurore ready?” Skull asked Elena.

Elena shrugged. “We literally have nothing for her to take.”

“Hogwarts will provide a basic salary for students after their first year,” the witch stated. “After we get Miss Estrello –“

“Miss Maki.” Skull smiled at the witch’s confusion. “Aurore will take my last name. We live in Italy, and anyone with Italian roots will most likely try to kill Aurore for who her father was. I’d rather not take chances, if that’s okay with you, Elena, Headmistress.”

The woman turned to Elena, who nodded, but with confusion on her face.

“I was under the impression ‘Mort’ was your last name, Mr. Mort,” the witch said.

“Ah, but I had a friend who fought in the Hogwarts battle,” Skull said, leaning forward and remembering Lal’s words. “Most of the teachers there most likely don’t want a reminder of Voldemort.”

The woman flinched. Skull tipped his head.

“Plus, Skull de Mort’s just a stage name. Because I have people who want to kill me, my real name’s not really something I like to say. So, Aurore will have to be Miss Maki.”

He smiled at her, daring the woman to say something.

The woman didn’t, simply accepting it and standing as Aurore walked in, probably having been listening at the door.

Skull looked at her, standing.

“You okay with being Aurore Maki?”

“Yep!”

~:~

“Holy _shit!”_ Skull’s eyes widened in shock as they entered a room that was their apartment like, twelve times over. “Wow,” he said, for once truly stunned. “Aurore, you’re going to own this place one day,” he told the younger.

Aurore blushed, looking down at her feet.

Skull bounded over to the moving portraits, causing some of them to move, to awaken.

“Wow, this dude looks like the First Hokage!” he gushed, eyeing the man indeed had long brown hair.

“That was Senju Takahana. He came from an island in Japan,” the witch said.

“Senju?” Skull’s eyes lit up with rare excitement. The man eyed him warily; Skull grinned and switched to Japanese. _“Can she understand this language?”_

 _“No,”_ the portrait-man said. _“Are you from Japan, or the mirror?”_

 _“Mirror,”_ Skull said. _“I would say my name, but I don’t really want to in front of the woman here.”_

Takahana sniffed. “McGonagall-san, please commission me an extra portrait.”

He ignored the witch’s sputtering and switched to their language. _“Soon I’ll be able to quiz you on how our people are doing!  You mentioned a First Fire Shadow, a First Hokage?”_

 _“Yes,”_ Skull replied. _“Senju Hashirama.”_

Delight entered Takahana’s eyes. _“Mmm, yes. Young Hashi was my son’s boy. I left Yosu Kuni soon after he was born – I was born with a tiny chakra network and magic in my veins. My father was confused when my mother took me to Hogwarts, thinking I should be a shinobi rather than a wizard.”_

Skull found himself smiling idiotically. _“You grew up in the Warring Clans Era. We’ve moved on to a… Simpler, easier way.”_

Takahana closed his eyes and bowed his head to Skull.

_“I look forward to learning.”_

Skull bowed back, turning to see Aurore and the woman eyeing him with amusement and exasperation.

~:~

“What is a Muggle doing here?”

Professor Blaise Zabini turned to see what the curiosity was all about, and the sight of someone he distantly _knew_ to be dead hit him.

Alessandro Zabini walked down the hall, purple hair and piercings marking him as the oddball that was Blaise’s older brother. Blaise had been murdered by a Muggle, his body photographed and sent to his mother Maria. It was why Maria had been in a rage upon realizing that the Muggles’ plane had crashed, killing everyone inside.

Alessandro Zabini was dead. Irrefutable proof.

Alessandro Zabini walked among them, holding the hand of a little Italian girl. Irrefutable proof.

His older brother looked at him.

There was no recognition.

“Holy shit, this place is awesome!”

“ _Aurore, language!”_ his brother scolded the girl, a smirk on his face meaning he really didn’t care about her language.

“Yes, _padre,”_ she said obediently. “Professor, do I have to wear the robes?”

“Yes, Miss Es – Miss Maki,” Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, changing the name with the sharp glance Alessandro said.

Blaise watched them walk further down the hall, his face devoid of heat or color.

“I’m going to be sick,” he announced.

~:~

Skull looked at Aurore. “You want to come to Hogwarts?” he asked the eleven-year-old. “Your mother’s gonna be fine, I promise.”

Aurore took a last look around.

“Yeah,” she said in a small voice. “Can I come home on weekends?”

Skull heard McGonagall start to say something, but he switched to Italian.

 _“It’s not safe, especially with the possibility of people coming after me,”_ he said. _“I hate to do this to you, dolcezza (sweetie), but Elena will be leaving soon, too.”_

Aurore nodded. _“Okay, padre. I understand.”_

 _“Send letters, okay?”_ Skull hugged her, taking a deep breath.

Five months of living with Aurore and Elena had proven to be the best part of Skull’s life.

But it wasn’t safe.

With the danger Skull was skirting, it was best to leave Elena and Aurore out of it.

With a heavy heart, Skull used the magical fireplace, leaving Aurore at the magical school.

~:~

Skull slumped in his apartment three weeks later, not having seen much of Reborn since the day he’d left Aurore at Hogwarts. Elena had understood that she couldn’t stay, having papers made up and new IDs given.

It was one of Skull’s ‘gifts’, the gift to feel that something was going to happen. He’d saved many comrades with it during the war – but not nearly enough.

It was a gut feeling that only worsened; Skull squeezed his eyes shut as he rubbed his temples, a headache beginning to bloom.

“I brought some sushi.”

The hitman’s voice jerked the purple-haired stuntman out of his funk, eyes opening to the platter of sushi on the table.

“How domestic of ya,” Skull said, forcing a laugh. “Though, I’m not really hungry right now.”

He stood up and swayed, his vision greying out for a moment.

**Naruto, you idiot! You _have_ to eat!**

Skull didn’t think that was the problem.

He looked up, intending to fire a cocky reassurance to Reborn that he was okay, when he saw something.

A person with white _everything_ grinned at him as he aimed a gun. A kunai was edged towards the man, Skull feeling immense rage.

The gun spat out a bullet, forcing Skull to fall on his back with a thud, gasping.

It was clear this Skull didn’t have a backup plan, didn’t have _backup._

“You filthy little Cloudy Sky,” the man said, leaning over him. “You’re not going to come back, because I’m not going to make the same mistake I did last time.”

Skull saw the mirror.

A blast of orange eradicated it.

This Skull ceased breathing.


	7. Chapter 7

Renato watched Skull pass out inelegantly, leaping up just in time to catch the stuntman. Whatever had happened had caught the man off guard. It certainly had caught the hitman off guard.

“Why are you so… _Interesting?”_ The hitman was rarely frustrated, but he was getting pissed because this purple-haired man kept _invading._

(He forgot that _he_ was the one to initiate contact.)

Renato swore in Italian, forcing his hands to release Skull.

He brought the gun up. He was the World’s Greatest Hitman. He couldn’t have Skull; he had to let the man go.

Skull’s breath ceased as Renato pulled the trigger.

 _There._ That should stop the idiot from making a nuisance of himself.

Renato left a message for Skull.

_Don’t get involved with the mafia anymore. Next time we meet, it won’t be personal._

_If_ Skull woke up again.

Renato left the house, refusing to look to see if the stuntman was breathing.

~:~

China was interesting. After Reborn had shot him and left him a damn _note,_ Skull threw himself back into stuntwork when his mafioso contacts were _out_ of contact. Either too scared to give Skull jobs or killed by Reborn… Skull wasn’t sure.

Skull entered his cramped trailer and took Takahana’s portrait out of hiding.

(To his amazement, not after Skull had left Italy, an owl had gotten this portrait to him.)

 “Hey, Takahana-sama,” he said, slumping down in his seat.

“You look like you’ve been down to the depths of Moryo’s hell,” Takahana observed.

“This is worse,” Skull sighed heavily. “Anyway, I keep forgetting. I’m Uzumaki Naruto.”

“ _Uzumaki.”_ A smile appeared on the long-haired man’s. “I nearly had an Uzumaki wife.”

“Eh. My mother was an Uzumaki,” Skull said. “Normally I’d go by Namikaze, but situations… Happened, you know.”

Takahana chuckled. “Indeed – wait, did you just say _Namikaze?”_

“Yeah, why?”

Takahana’s eyes closed. “I don’t know if it’s _relevant,_ but I did have an Namikaze mistress at one point.” He scrutinized Skull. “You don’t _look_ like a Namikaze.”

“Oh. Um.” Skull took a deep breath, forcing the image of Skull to waver.

He felt his physique change, and it was _definitely_ as painful as last time.

For a moment, he was Naruto again.

His control snapped, and he found himself back as Skull.

“That convince you?”

Takahana looked horrified.

“Mother of Hagoromo, you look _just like her!_ Only her descendants would have such unique capabilities –“

“Er, okay.” Skull heard footsteps crunch outside his trailer and shoved Takahana’s talking portrait out of the way as footsteps thudded.

A knock rapped lightly on his door.

Skull kept a kunai in his sleeve, heart beating fast.

The door opened, revealing a Chinese-looking man.

(Apparently all the men he was meeting were like, the _hottest_ men ever, because _holy shit,_ first Reborn and now this smokin’ hot man? Skull was in _deep_ trouble.)

 **So, if this guy kills you and you return to life, Mata-chan has a theory,** Kurama rumbled.

_So not the time, Kurama!_

Skull licked his lips.

“Would you happen to be Skull de Mort?”

“Depends,” Skull said. “What do you need?”

The man looked at him. “Then it is true. You are the man Xia-He will marry. Unfortunately, you must come with me.”

Skull blinked. “Um. _What?”_

The man smiled.

Skull felt it, invading his senses.

_What the hell?”_

“I took the liberty of dosing my clothes with a sleeping powder; naturally, I am unable to be affected.” The man moved closer, bringing a cloying scent to Skull’s nose.

He recoiled, stumbling and tripping backwards.

“I’m not –“ his next words failed him, as his tongue began to get clumsy upon tasting the air.

The man vanished, catching Skull and placing a cloth over his nose.

Skull did the stupid thing and breathed in.

~:~

Xia-He stared at the assassin, her father also staring at her.

The purple man was just as she’d described him. Purple, pierced, and a Skull.

(She had prayed to all her gods that this was one assignment that Fon would not complete.)

“I have completed the mission,” Fon said dispassionately.

Her father recovered, and to Xia-He’s horror, began to smile.

“Well, as long as he is educated in our ways, he will not be a problem to marry Xia-He.”

The man in purple stared at all of them from his place, his face morphing from incomprehension to horror.

“I’m married!”

The man’s indignant yell caused everyone to stare at him.

Xia-He had a feeling he was lying.

“I’m married,” the man said, recovering. “To a man named Reborn.”

Fon actually _snorted,_ forcing the Huang family to glance at him.

“Reborn is a notorious hitman. Why would he deign to marry a man, and in such secrecy that nobody knows?” Fon questioned.

The purple-haired Skull smiled as enigmatically as possible. “Because I annoy him and he can’t kill me.”

“Father, surely this man is too deranged to know what he speaks of,” tried Xia-He. “I will pick another, if you –“

“No!” Jiao-long refuted. “You have played games too long, Xia-He. What of his Flame type?”

“He is a civilian, a civilian _stuntman,”_ Fon said, curling his lip at the man’s profession. “I have to believe his is either a Mist type or a Cloud type.”

“Two of the kind my daughter must have.” Xia-He lowered her head. “My little _Tiānkōng_ deserves her Elements.”

Fon bowed. “If I might leave?”

“Fon, I have one more request to make of you.” Jiao-long bent his head. “Please keep him here, in this home, until the Triads can gather. Make the boy learn what it is to be a Triad head’s wife.”

Xia-He knew her little sibling could come at any day now. And if that little sibling turned to out to be a boy, Xia-He knew she was next on Fon’s list to kill.

“Actually,” the purple-haired man said, staring at Xia-He. “I’ll stay willingly.” He gave Xia-He a lopsided smile.

Xia-He found herself smiling back a little.

~:~

“ _Hey, Reborn, it’s Skull. Yeah, I saw the fucking note, and all I gotta say is bring it. I don’t fucking care if you kill me every fucking time you see me. Right now, I kinda need your help. I’m being held hostage and my wife-to-be is ready to pay you a handsome fee if you find someone to get us the_ fuck _outta here before our wedding day!”_

Renato eyed his cell phone with barely-hidden annoyance.

(He quashed that tiny relief in him.)

He dialed the Ottava.

“I have a situation in China that needs attending to.” He listened to the Ottava lecture about how she _needed_ him to shoot the man at the optimal time, and that signal could be any time in the next three weeks, and _what could be more important than helping her for more money she could dream of?_

Renato told her that an associate needed a bike at a wedding happening in China.

She was a smart one, that’s for sure, for she ordered him to get back to work and in the same breath ordered a lackey to procure a bike right before hanging up the phone.

Whoever could it be that needed help if not for Skull?

The legendary hitman kept watch.

~:~

“So, I’m not getting any help,” Skull said to Xia-He in the middle of their breakfast with Jiao-long. “So, we’re going to have to go through with this.”

Xia-He swallowed.

“That’s right,” Jiao-long said. “You won’t be able to escape until you are dead, child. Speaking of, we need a fitting name.”

“How about _Zǐsè_?” Skull asked, perfectly serious. “Or _Chéngzi._ I’m partial to either colors.”

“Orange is a sacred color, and purple is for royalty,” Xia-He said softly. “How about… _Kě xìn_ _?”_

“I do keep my promises,” Skull said, setting down his chopsticks and his bowl. “I will be faithful to you, Xia-He, for the rest of my life.”

He caught her hands in his, gazing deeply into Xia-He’s eyes.

“ _Kiss,”_ Jiao-long hissed. “So you _must_ marry her, to not shame the family!”

 _I am probably going to end up dead or worse, so why should he care?_ Xia-He initiated the kiss, simply pecking him chastely on the lips.

She did not favor men, and this was where her father insisted she pick a man she saw in a vision gifted to her by a dragon; Xia-He could thankfully say that while she was a decent Sky in her own right, she didn’t have the power to see into the future. The purple came to her randomly when she was pleading her gods to spare her life – or send her someone to spare her life.

Like, the color popped into her head as she prayed, but she had not been able to articulate the color until she was under Fon’s heavy scrutiny.

“Father, if I may, might I take my future husband among the Gutta-percha trees?” They were trees mostly native to China, much like the famed Sakura trees of Japan.

“Fon, watch over them, please.”

Xia-He would _never_ get out of here while Fon was following them!

“Don’t worry, Xia-He,” Skull soothed. “Let’s go take a walk, hmm?”

Xia-He stood.


	8. Chapter 8

Fon had to admit that babysitting these two was a little better than killing. It was clear to him both were desperately trying to find a way out, but neither could get away from him long enough to execute any such plans.

“Skull, I must admit to you that Fon will most likely execute me if my father’s mistress will bear a boy,” Xia-He stated grimly, stopping in the middle of the Gutta-percha.

“Don’t worry,” Skull said, grinning. “I’m slightly confident I can beat someone using my superior skills.”

Xia-He looked skeptical. “You do not look like much,” she said bluntly.

Skull winked at her. “Don’t worry, Xia-He.”

“I hope you know, if this marriage does go through, that I do not like men,” Xia-He said straightforwardly.

Instead of looking offended, Skull smiled a secret smile. “Underneath my skin I am a woman,” he said, no lie to his voice.

Both Xia-He and Fon found themselves glancing down, past Skull’s waist.

“You certainly look male to me,” Fon observed, noting how Skull reacted a minute too late; Xia-He had jumped as he spoke, Skull jumped and staggered right after she had, like he was supposed to be shocked or something.

Skull took a deep breath, then smiled.

“Ah, well, it’s less of a _‘I’m a woman’_ and more of a ‘I can shapeshift into one’. Secrets,” he said with a smile. “Now, Xia-He, tell me about your family gods. I can’t exactly promise to believe in them, I do believe in my own after all, but… Learning is knowing!” He grinned at Xia-He.

Xia-He giggled, but nevertheless began to talk.

~:~

“A bike,” Xia-He said blankly, staring at the purple bike with a bow on it.

“Huh,” Skull said, glancing at it for a moment. “Bit small. Not useful to me.”

Xia-He hummed.

“Father, will you allow Skull to do a few stunts? Perhaps that would spice things up at the ceremony?” she offered.

“Too small of a tank to get far,” yawned Skull.

“No,” Jiao-long denied. “It is tradition that was must keep. _Stunts,”_ he sneered, “are not a profession I want in this family. We are the Triad, we rule.”

“I’m hungry,” Skull said unhelpfully.

~:~

“Do you, Xia-He, take Kě Xin to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do,” Xia-He said blandly.

“Do you, Kě Xin, take Xia-He to be your wife?”

“I do,” Skull said, ignoring the name that wasn’t his.

“Then you may kiss the bride!”

Both kissed for a second, then pulled apart.

“It’s a boy!”

The nursemaid to Jiao-long’s mistress froze at the level of stares _and_ the level of hatred being aimed at her from the bride and groom.

“Well, Xia-He, do you trust me?” Skull murmured to his temporary wife.

Xia-He nodded.

“Then…” He grinned. “I made sure your inheritance of jewels stayed with us.”

He then looked to the sky.

“Oh for the love of Inari, what is _that?!”_ he shrieked, pointing at the sky. “A UFO?!”

Every one of the guests turned, searching the sky for nothing.

There was a crash, and everyone looked to the front.

There was nobody there, the newlywed couple conspicuously absent.

~:~

Skull revved up his bike, peeling out of there, laughing manically as Xia-He screamed in fear at the bullets being fired.

“XIA-HE, WE’RE BEING HUNTED,” he yelled as he neared the estate end. “YOU KNOW HOW TO DRIVE A MOTORCYCLE, I HOPE?!”

“I TOOK LESSONS FROM MY MOTHER!” Xia-He screamed over the wind. “FATHER NEVER DENIED HER ANYTHING! MOTHER WAS NOT FROM CHINA!”

“I GATHERED! HOLD ON TO THE HANDLEBARS!”

“OKAY!”

He released control over to Xia-He, leaping off of the bike and flipping expertly, summoning chakra to his feet and landing in the Gutta-percha tree near the bike, listening for Fon.

True to his thoughts, he cut Fon off, lashing out at the martial artist-slash-assassin-slash-babysitter with two kunai.

Fon stared at him, obviously re-evaluating his opinion of Skull.

~:~

Fon panted, trying not to make it noticeable.

“Okay, okay! Wait!” Skull wasn’t even _winded,_ which made him even more dangerous. “What – what if I came up with a solution that got you paid _and_ without a mark on your record?”

“I was hired to kill Xia-He,” Fon said solidly. “Nothing will change that.”

“Come on, you’re about to beaten by a _very_ public _civilian,”_ Skull scoffed, his purple eyes sharp. “If you get Jiao-long to a warehouse in Hong Kong by the end of the week and meet both Xia-He and I, then we’ll _all_ go home alive and happy.”

Fon stared at him.

“Very well,” he settled on saying. Something told Fon that this man did not lie to him; he had learned to trust that instinct.

“Thanks. Here’s the address.”

A leaf with kanji on it (thank gods that Fon operated in Japan, or the katakana would be meaningless to Fon) floated down, forcing Fon to grab it and read it. The warehouse would be easy enough to find.

And Xia-He would be dead, by the end of it.

~:~

Xia-He stood in front of her reflection, scrutinizing every minute detail.

“Come _on,”_ her reflection said, in her own melodious voice, “it’s nearly time to meet them.”

Xia-He sighed. “It may fool my Father, but it will not fool Fon,” she told Skull, who was disguised as her.

(She preferred to think of it as a _disguise,_ not as his life-energy magic, as he called it! She was not a child anymore, after all!)

“I don’t need to fool Fon, I need to fool your father.”

~:~

“If I am your target, then target me,” Xia-He said stoically, her face a mask. “If I am to die a proud Huang, then let it be so.” She remained standing.

“Fon, kill her.” Fon scrutinized Xia-He. It was all about body language, and Xia-He’s body language _wasn’t._

“Are you certain?” Fon questioned.

“Father, will he still get paid if he kills me?”

And Fon’s eyes widened as he realized – that tiny little smirk on her mouth – _Skull was acting as Xia-He._ But Fon couldn’t _almost_ kill Xia-He.

Skull’s eyes showed no fear. So, he was okay with dying for a woman he knew little about?

“Of course, now _kill Xia-He!”_

Fon nodded and was behind the civilian.

A nasty crack later and Xia-He was sprawled on the floor.

~:~

He woke up being inside a coffin. Skull closed his eyes and tried not to think too much about… The… enclosed… _space_ gah he couldn’t stay in there!

He started to panic, banging on the coffin lid, unable to breath.

His fist broke through the coffin, and he breathed in air. The lid was suddenly removed and Skull now had to deal with a broken wrist.

He hunched over, sucking in large amounts of air.

He’d had this problem since he’d rescued that princess chick in the past. He’d been encased in a puppet, everything squeezing with his chakra being sucked out – not great.

He looked up, seeing the open-mouthed gazes of several Chinese people.

“Sorry to disappoint.” He jumped, breaking the glass and bending the metal, rolling on the ground painfully; he was up and running within a few minutes.

~:~

He opened the door to his hotel room, flicking on the light and seeing Xia-He looking annoyed – and Fon, sitting there across from her, looking quite skeptical of her.

“Okay, what is with people surprising me in the place I’m staying?”

His words caused Xia-He to jump up; Fon calmly set his teacup back into place.

“You are alive.” Fon’s eyes said nothing, gave away nothing, as the assassin stalked up to him slowly.

Skull moved aside, gesturing to the door. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out,” he said, voice cold.

Fon moved past him, never once losing eye contact as he opened the door.

“Pleasure,” Fon said before vanishing, the door shutting of its own accord.

Skull scoffed, then turned a winning smile to Xia-He.

“I can _totally_ explain.”


	9. Chapter 9

Renato cleaned one of his guns, bored out of his mind.

“Did you hear about what happened in China?”

He didn’t move.

“Apparently one of the future Triad leaders were killed by an assassin, _hired_ by one of the leaders of the Triads!”

“Oooh, spooky. Do you think it was _the_ assassin?”

“Ha! _I_ heard the target got away on the back of a purple motorcycle!”

“The number one assassin in the Triads wouldn’t _lose_ a target.”

“No, _I_ heard that he assassinated the target. Anyway, did you hear about a dead girl shapeshifting and turning into a man and jumping out of the back of a vehicle?”

He owed Skull _two_ deaths, then.

“Never thought an elite assassin would get outsmarted by a civilian girl,” he commented, seemingly to air.

“I never thought _you_ got distracted on jobs,” the assassin countered in his soft voice. “Or was it _another_ hitman that was contracted for the Santini?”

Renato let his lips curl into a smirk. “I was not distracted. I am only human after all.”

Both silently seized each other up.

“Xia-He Huang is dead,” Fon informed him. “But she did have a husband. I eliminated him at the same time.”

“Good. Donna will be pleased to hear it.”

This two-part job was essential to cut off a ring of human trafficking; Renato had one part – eliminating the head of it – while Fon was stationed in China to watch over the ring from in there. Xia-He Huang was an unfortunate side mission, but she knew of the mission from her Vongola lover. Both sides had been eradicated – no loose ends.

“Any news on the ring itself?”

“None. Simply folded in on itself. Sadly, I doubt that this will be the end of it.”

“Hmm.” Fon stood. “Tell the Donna I am returning to China and will await any further jobs.”

The assassin vanished as Renato considered shooting _him,_ too.

Not long after he’d left the club, Renato’s phone rang.

“What?” he barked.

 _“I got married to a lesbian woman,”_ Skull’s voice greeted. _“Any knowledge on how to annul a marriage?”_

“Go to the nearest courthouse and present identification. Any other stupid questions, _idiota_ Skull?”

“ _You wound me, bastard. But yes. If, say, you technically have an ID but you’re technically_ dead, _too? My wife was murdered by an assassin, you see.”_

For the love of _God,_ what did Renato do in his past life to earn this sort of torture?

“Since she’s technically dead, or whoever, you don’t really need to do anything,” Renato gritted out, annoyed beyond fucking belief.

 _“Ah, thanks.”_ There was a pause. _“I’m in China if you wanna come to my trailer and… talk.”_

Renato’s eyes widened as he leaned against a wall.

“Hmm? And how much _actual_ talk will we get done?”

_“Depends on if you get here before my troupe leaves, yeah?”_

“I’m going to kill you four times,” Renato informed him suddenly.

Skull laughed. _“Can’t wait to die,”_ the man said to him laughingly.

~:~

Skull was only mildly disappointed as the circus moved, and his career went on as the Man who Hell spat out.

Xia-He was surprisingly okay with all the magical shit in his life – so much so she took to talking to Takahana when she was alone in his trailer.

They moved to America, meaning they had to temporarily ditch their trailers in London while they did so, landing outside of an Italy-owned military base, the edge of a COMSUBIN base. Skull wasn’t quite so naïve to think that this was a coincidence; but what he _did_ think of as a coincidence was _Lal Mirch_ walking down the street in civilian wear; well, clothes a civilian military person would wear off-duty.

That, and her dog tags lent that factor a huge push.

She was walking down, looking completely alone when Skull saw her.

“Lal?!”

Lal jerked and turned, looking at Skull warily for a long moment before a smile broke out on her face as she jogged up to him and Xia-He.

“Skull! And…” Lal sized Xia-He up. Xia-He gave her a smile, looking her up and down appreciatively.

“Xia-He, Lal Mirch, my witch friend. Lal Mirch, Xia-He, my dead wife,” Skull introduced with a wide smirk.

Xia-He smiled slowly. “Ah, Lal Mirch, hmm? Pretty name for a pretty woman. Will you take me home with you tonight?”

Lal blinked, looking a bit off-kilter.

“Ignore her. She’s a bit lustful. No good ladies to share the bed with her, no good ladies or men to share _my_ bed. Well, actually, I _can_ think of one…” Skull grinned to himself, then slapped his face. “Anyway! You here to see my show?”

“No, I live on base,” she said.

“Sure you should be telling me this?” Skull asked, sipping his milkshake.

Lal slid into the seat opposite him.

“You two know about my powers, fine. I’ve been in contact with a friend in Italy.”

Skull didn’t stiffen. Xia-He pretended to be scouring the crowds.

“A friend in the Chiavarone Famiglia said that there was an op the Vongola did to take out a ring of human traffickers linking Italy and China,” Lal said. “I was thinking of acting as bait, but… Xia-He could –“

“No, Xia-He is dead,” Skull said sharply. “An assassin killed her. It hurt.” He pouted briefly. “Anyway, Xia-He won’t be involved in any stings that have to do with the _mafia.”_ His voice dropped to a whisper.

Lal inclined her head.

“Fine. But I’ve got a relative, and if I don’t get my relative out soon enough they’re going to die,” Lal admitted.

“I’ll do it,” Skull said, his eyes sharpening.

Lal gave a laugh. “No offense, Skull –“

“The mirror.” Lal stopped laughing, comprehension blazing in her eyes. “But I _can’t_ let them know – I won’t be able to user the mirror if I need help, and I _really_ like my stuntwork job.”

Lal waved her hand. “We can take care of that. Xia-He and you can hang around our facility while I argue with the director, but you _are_ going to need to change a bit first.”

Skull rolled his eyes before standing and heading to the bathroom inside the shoppe.

~:~

Lal blinked as a distinctly pretty purple-haired woman walked out, full of confidence, and sat down at their table.

“So, think I can do the job _now?”_ Skull’s feminine voice came out breathy and melodiously.

If Lal was not straight, she’d totally get with Skull.

Xia-He looked at Skull with obvious admiration.

“Alright! Let’s go carry out a dangerous sting!”

~:~

Colonello spotted his ex-teacher walking two obvious civilians into the facility, disappearing in the commander’s place with them.

The Chinese girl walked out, shouting a string of obscenities at him, mostly in Chinese.

“Hey!” The Chinese girl ran out of steam as he jogged up, the door slamming shut as he got there. “You okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah,” the Chinese girl said in accented Italian. “My ex-husband _insists_ he be the one to commit to this ridiculous sting. Annoying.” She flicked her hand.

If Colonello hadn’t been one of the few who were _in_ on the sting op, then he’d be concerned about the breach in security.

“They won’t be able to resist such a tempting target, will they?”

“Nah, she’s a natural purple-ette.”

Colonello was about to ask when the door opened again, and Lal exited with a woman who was _almost_ as pretty as Lal.

Waist-length purple hair fell in a single, smooth sheet, with a heart-shaped face and big purple eyes.

The ring wouldn’t be able to resist.

Colonello’s eyes took sharp notice of how Skull handed an old-looking compact mirror to Lal, glaring at her as Lal seemed to be confused.

“Make sure it stays safe,” the woman snapped, looking angry.

Lal hesitated, but nodded, slipping the mirror somewhere safe.

~:~

Skull is pretty much ignored when she’s inside the human trafficking ring. Once her hair had been identified as natural, it was easy for her to infiltrate, to find Lal’s mysterious cousin.

Skull went the loud way, calling out ‘Toujours Pur’ as she went from cage to cage.

(Skull tried to ignore the way the room seemed to collapse inwards on her from time to time.)

A hand hit her shoulder as she sagged in apparent defeat.

“Making a scene isn’t exactly what I had in mind for a big shot,” a voice hissed. “What are you doing here? Which Famiglia sent you?”

Skull said the words Lal had told her to say.

“Hya sent me.” Skull turned and smirked at the person behind her. “She told me to tell you that she’s pissed you ditched her at the first event, and that the main one will start soon.”

Relief flashed through her eyes. “Thank Hecate.”

Skull twitched. “Great, another witch.”

“I prefer the term ‘non-binary’.”

“Mind if I call you witch, still? I kinda piss off everyone I meet, so I don’t want to break that record.”

“Please don’t.”

“Okay, I will!”

Skull grinned as she pissed the woman off.

“You _do_ know that the Carcassa are involved, right?”

Skull’s confusion was real as he turned to Lal’s relative.

“Who are the Carcassa?”

“The Carcassa are the most dark Famiglia,” explained the witch-wizard. “Well, actually, one of the most dark Famiglia that exist. They’ve made a pact with the Triads and other dark Famiglia, like the Notte Oscura –“

“Tangled with them, left ‘em high and dry,” Skull muttered, mostly to herself.

Witch-wizard continued, ignoring Skull like he hadn’t spoken.

“- and are, quite frankly, filled with some of the nastiest people you’ll ever meet. And, by the way, _not_ a witch. Just a chick with some Mist Flames.”

Skull gave her a ‘wtf are you talking about’ kind of face.

“Wait, you’re involved with the mafia, but you don’t know of Flames?” The witch-wizard looked confused. “You really _are_ just a civilian.”

Skull went to answer, but found himself in his mindscape, forcibly drawn there by Kurama.

Kurama himself was there; Saiken was missing, meaning she was going to be pretending she was Skull.

“What?” she demanded of Kurama. “I’m _busy.”_

 **And you’ve _been_ busy for the last month and a half, **Kurama retorted. **Now listen up. When you came into this world, you didn’t just change on a whim. You took the form of the person who was carrying that mirror – not only that, but the reason it’s hard to hold onto _your_ body in this world is, for all intents and purposes, this new body _is_ your body.**

“Okay… And you’re telling me this now, _why?”_

 **Because I have a theory of how you’re staying alive,** Matatabi appeared. **This body was already dead when you arrived here. That’s the only reason you were able to take this body. That being said… I am one of the presiding death demons. I have some sway.**

“So, you’re keeping me alive, even after I die?”

 **That theory _is_ quite plausible, but Naruto, you must face the facts. It’s never happened before, us all being in a host together _willingly._ Combining all this with your soul, your ancestry… I’m not surprised death isn’t sticking,** admitted Matatabi. **Not that it’s _bad,_ by any means. It simply means you _do_ have to be somewhat cautious. We don’t know if this ability is temporary until this body dies, or… What. Theoretically, if you returned to our world, we could keep switching between bodies, thus effectively remaining immortal.**

 **Or we power your body, keeping everyone alive indefinitely,** Kurama yawned. **Either way it wouldn’t be a hassle for us.**

“You guys… Don’t even understand why I left, do you?” Naruto turned away, feeling raw as, in his mindscape, the ‘Skull’ body melted away and showing his real form, his eighteen-year-old form. “I left because there was no other way to protect you guys. I’m going to find a way to do that, and I’m going to do that even if I die a thousand times because _I love you guys_ like you were my siblings!”

He closed his eyes.

Two years. He’d spent half a year with his team before Sasuke had left, a year with Jiraiya (a surprisingly informative year with him) and the war that had lasted half a year.

Naruto had barely mastered his sync mode when his clone at Mount Myoboku had returned.

Jiraiya had known – possibly from his future-vision – and had ordered him to keep a surplus of clones at the Toad’s Mountain.

He’d tried to save everyone he could, but he couldn’t save everyone.

 _Shion._ The priestess had given her life – and her power – to save Naruto. Had defeated Moryo in his own hell.

 _Ryuuzetsu._ A month-long sting at a prison had revealed Kisame attempting to open the Box of Paradise, which Naruto had almost all of his chakra sucked out and had also caused Ryuuzetsu to use her own Kekkei Genkai to revive her.

Naruto wasn’t trying to make attachments in this world, which was why he’d planned to leave Xia-He here in America, with forged papers. Get Lal’s cousin out and leave with the troupe, try not to call Reborn again (some of his contacts had resurfaced and given him Reborn’s number) and just keep to himself.

Naruto didn’t _want_ **friends** , and yet that’s what Skull was quick to make.

Naruto didn’t want to be Skull, yet being Skull came easier than anything else.

“I wanted to get away from the remnants of the Akatsuki, because if they try to come out of the mirror I _know_ they can’t without me being aware and stopping them. I will not let my world drag you guys back into the hell you were in!”

Naruto was fine with being Skull. Because Skull was an oddity, an oddity that people admired and were jealous of.

Naruto was just… Naruto.

“Anyway, I even brought Sasuke back to the village. Alive.”

 **We are not asking you to return for an indefinite stay,** Matatabi said softly. **But using the mirror would help us know what is going on.**

Naruto nodded. It would give Naruto a power up as well.

“Alright, well, I’ll mull over what ya said. I actually have to go.”

And just like that, Skull was back.


	10. Chapter 10

Skull… Had seriously no clue how they got out with their information. One moment he’d been there, the next he’d been waking up in a cot in COMSUBIN with two bandages on his face.

“Well, apparently you didn’t need _my_ help in returning to the living,” Lal said bluntly.

“I was killed?”

“Shot multiple times. Zinnia did use your body as a shield – was tempted to leave it behind, but then she was almost shot again.”

“Huh.” Skull ran a hand through his short hair and sat up. “Xia-He?” he asked as a glass of water was given to him.

“Alive and well,” Lal answered. “Thanks to you, we’ve managed to get most of the Carcassa Famiglia and some of the Triads locked up in Vendicare.”

Skull hummed, setting the water down.

“Here.”

An actual _vial_ was given to Skull, a vial filled with clear stuff.

“What is it?” he asked.

“A dose of Veritaserum.” She smiled at him. “Maybe you can make yourself invulnerable to it.”

Skull eyed the truth-telling potion, then smiled.

“My mirror,” he requested, slipping the vial in his sleeve.

The mirror dropped into his palm, Skull feeling way better as the energy from his home sank into his skin.

~:~

“I want to hire you for a job.” Maria Zabini slid a folded magical photograph to the hidden Notte Oscura member. “I want this person found and taken to my manor, alive.”

“Very well, Lady Zabini.”

Maria smirked as the man vanished, sipping at her drink.

~:~

Skull laughed as Xia-He gawked at Italian restaurants and stores. Skull was content to watch the canal beside him, until a storefront caught his eye.

“This is so… Not right! Why do women dress in such immodest clothing?” Xia-He demanded.

Skull hummed and eyed a dress almost longingly. “Because it’s something that makes them feel beautiful, Xia-He. Not everyone can slide into a kimono like you. Most women wear jeans or professional skirts to work; something casual is also accepted, though.” Skull shrugged. “Honestly, back on my world, I wasn’t into fashion all that much when I shifted into a girl for a few missions. My teammate tried to get me into a dress on innumerable occasions.” He snickered at remembering. “Closest was a yukata that was made for men – she gave up after that!”

“So, what, she did not give you gifts on your day of birth containing clothes?” Xia-He queried.

“Nah,” Skull waved his hand away. “My birthday isn’t important.”

Xia-He turned to him, a fierce look in her eyes.

“If you can turn into a girl, I want you to do so, _husband,”_ she said, a wicked light in her eyes.

“But –“

 _“Do it!”_ Xia-He insisted.

~:~

Renato walked through Venice, simply strolling like any other businessman; until a Chinese girl and a striking, short purple-ette met his attention.

“-know, if I knew you weren’t going to return to your other form, Skull, I would totally wanna sleep with you,” the Chinese girl said to the short purple-ette in the purple dress.

“These shoes are impractical,” the familiar, higher voice of Skull met his ears.

Renato didn’t know how, but he didn’t care.

This was definitely _Skull._

“ _Chaos_ , Skull,” he said, stepping up with her. “Lovely day, isn’t it?”

Skull squeaked and jumped away from his touch.

“Reborn! What are you doing here?”

“Having a rare day off,” Renato lied smoothly. He never had days off. His days off were usually spent like this, casing the place for possible targets or customers

Not that he actually _had_ today off – he had just finished a job and was waiting on the next one to come in.

Skull and the Chinese woman gave him deadpan looks.

“This is Xia-He, my wife who’s dead,” Skull introduced, yanking Xia-He to the side.

“Hmm. Pretty,” Renato said, taking her hand and bestowing a kiss on it like he had a chance. The Chinese woman smiled politely, a bit awkward. “If you were interested, _bella,_ I would have swept you off your feet,” he promised with a wink.

“ _I_ am interested,” Skull said in a sulky voice. “I thought my message to you was clear.”

Renato felt mild surprise. He let some of that show faintly as he looked directly at the woman.

“I would not have greeted you if I was not interested in some way,” Renato revealed, winking at her as well.

Xia-He giggled lightly. “Might I ask your name?”

“Reborn,” Renato said, using his alias, turning to smile at Xia-He.

Xia-He forced a smile.

“Skull, I’m going to go flirt with some girls,” Xia-He huffed, clearly upset at whatever interruption she saw.

Renato glanced at Skull. “So, you can turn into a woman.”

He noticed that her chest seemed smooth, no sign of a scar.

“My eyes are up _here,”_ Skull huffed. “What do you want?”

Renato pulled his fedora down. “I can’t greet an ally like you without being questioned?”

“No,” deadpanned Skull. “Because you always have a reas –“

A white-haired teen ran by.

Skull looked pale, sick.

“Who was that?” she asked, her voice much like the male Skull he knew.

“Gessou Gabriele,” Renato automatically said. “Why, interested?”

“I’m sorry, I have to go,” Skull said, not meeting his eyes. “I –“

“I’ll walk you to your hotel,” Renato said, catching her wrist as she walked past him.

She glared at him. “I can get –“

She looked faint.

“You’re going to pass out again,” Renato said with a smirk.

Skull gritted her teeth as Xia-He came running up.

“ _Fine,”_ Skull hissed.

~”~

They made it to her hotel without her passing out, but it was a close call. She walked into the bathroom with her bag.

Renato hummed to himself, making himself at home on Skull’s couch as Skull came out, back as a man and headed straight for the liquor.

“Can you get me a whiskey?” Renato called.

“Sure thing,” Skull said, pouring a glass.

“Hey, Skull? You have mail,” Xia-He said, throwing a letter to Skull. “I’m _assuming_ it’s yours, anyway.”

Skull stumbled in trying to catch it, freezing.

Renato leaped up to grab the whiskey as Skull sprawled on the floor, breathing erratically.

Renato sipped it, walking over Skull’s body to get the letter.

~:~

Skull was there again, watching himself in the future from his own point of view.

“Decimo- _kun,_ this is a shitty plan,” he heard himself saying to a brunette.

“Shut it, lackey,” he heard Reborn’s voice snap.

“I know it’s not exactly the _best_ solution, but, if we’re going to stop Byakuran, we need as few people in on this plan as possible,” the brunette said.

He was a rather pretty brunette, too. Spiky brown hair with soft brown eyes.

“Tsunayoshi-kun, you know Byakuran won’t let you leave alive,” he heard himself say, deadly serious, no teasing or anything.

“I know,” Tsunayoshi said. “I also know that after my death, Byakuran will be headed over to America to consolidate his empire after a week. I know when and where he’ll be, thanks to your visions,” he nodded at Skull.

“You want me to meet him?” Skull asked, sounding concerned.

“I want you to take a team, delay him. Haru will be there for the extradition of any Italian Vongola members.” Tsunayoshi’s eyes flicked around the room before settling on Skull. “Your seals could probably work.”

Skull nodded. “I’ll do my best, Decimo-kun.”

“Reborn, you’ll –“

“I’ll try my best to keep you safe, Dame-Tsuna,” Reborn said abruptly. “Because I’m sure as hell _not_ sitting around when I could be saving your pathetic ass.”

Tsunayoshi smiled bleakly before looking at another person in the room.

“Hibari-sempai, please keep this base safe. Shoichi-kun, continue deceiving Byakuran.” Tsunayoshi took a shaky breath. “We need the Vongola Rings to defeat Byakuran. We _will_ defeat Byakuran.”

A chorus of ‘yes, sir’ arose from the gathering.

Skull was jerked out of his vision with a splash of water on his body.

“You have a letter,” Reborn said with a smirk, holding the bucket as Skull jumped up, swearing as he did so.

Skull yanked the letter from Reborn’s grasp, quickly reading it.

He paled, his face going stark white.

“Xia-He, we’re leaving. Reborn, nice to see you, gotta go,” he said, mind racing.

“Because of a single sentence?” questioned the hitman.

Skull glanced at the letter again.

_Well, someone knows I have the mirror, and if they find it then I’m screwed._

It was cleverly disguised in the letter – someone was watching Skull and, while they’d addressed it to _Alessandro Zabini,_ he assumed it was to him.

Better to leave before whoever it was tried to kill him and steal the mirror.

“Yes, because of a _single sentence,”_ Skull snapped at Reborn, tossing his new dress into his suitcase.

“Expect a visit later,” Reborn said, taking out his cell phone.

Skull ignored it. While he wanted to stay in Venice, with Xia-He he didn’t have much of a choice _but_ to leave.

~:~

Xia-He waved good-bye to Skull, the train pulling away.

Xia-He was now free from the mafia and the magical world.

As she looked to her future, she wished she could’ve gotten Skull’s address.

But… Maybe it was for the best that she couldn’t contact the stuntman.


	11. Chapter 11

Skull took out the mirror.

_I have to contact Tsunade. If she’s not on the other side of this mirror, then I’m screwed._

**You could just seal it up again.**

_I **know,**_ Skull said, opening the mirror up. He swallowed and bit his thumb, letting a few drops fall onto the mirror itself.

The seal on the mirror glowed, retracting.

He tapped it.

~:~

Tsunade heard a chime coming from a distinct area of the Hokage office. Nearly four years since she’d heard that, but she still remembered that chime.

“Everyone out,” she ordered, motioning to her ANBU to leave. Everyone was gone in a few moments, save for Neko.

Tsunade sealed the office up, then unsealed the mirror.

“Come out, idiot.”

The mirror warped, purple warping into orange as Naruto popped out, looking sheepish.

“What?” Tsunade questioned.

“I just needed some supplies. Some things are goin’ down, and I obviously need to protect myself better,” Naruto said sheepishly.

“Give me a list and I’ll have everything in an hour,” Tsunade yawned. “Or rather, Neko will.”

Naruto nodded, writing a list on Tsunade’s spare paper.

“As much as you can,” he said, handing Tsunade the paper.

Tsunade eyed the list. “Hmm. Definitely a bulk order.” Neko appeared and patted Naruto on the head. Naruto smiled at her briefly. “Can you get these things in bulk in an hour?” Tsunade questioned Neko.

Neko nodded, taking the list.

“I’ll let you know when it’s done,” Tsunade informed Naruto, who nodded and went back through the mirror.

Tsunade re-sealed the mirror, then undid the seals on her office, Neko vanishing as her other guards reappeared.

Tsunade wished that things could be different. But they couldn’t – Naruto had to be the focus of the hatred of Konohagakure no Sato.

The woman let out a sigh as she looked out the window, to the village she loved.

The village who had forced their hero to die.

~:~

Skull kept the mirror in his lap, and sure enough a scroll was passed through about an hour later. Skull sealed it with his blood, then closed his eyes and went into his mindscape.

 **“That _Reborn_ is getting on my fucking nerves,”** Kurama growled, stalking the meadow that was in Skull’s midscape.

“Believe me, he’s not the only one,” Skull pouted. “He doesn’t understand that I want him to –“

 **“Fuck you, we’ve all had our share of hearing you whine about it,”** Matatabi smiled. Among the bijuu, it was Son Goku, Matatabi, and surprisingly Saiken who were the most perverted.

Skull groaned. “It’s not _my_ fault my hormones are in one extreme or the other. Besides, the guy practically gives off the aura of _dominant.”_

 **“I never thought I’d see the day where you would actually _use_ that word,”** Kurama said, looking horrified.

Skull glanced at him weirdly. “Are you okay? You sound kinda sick,” he said with a smirk.

Kurama laughed. **“I was hoping you’d ask me if I was serious,”** the kitsune demon chortled.

“I think we all know you a little too well to do that,” Skull deadpanned.

 **“So, why don’t you come out and say that to him?”** Chomei asked, settling down in the meadow and transforming into a human-esque version of herself.

Skull sighed, flopping himself on the ground face-first.

“I _did,”_ he said, practically tasting the grass. “But then I had a stupid-ass vision because some person walked near me.” He sat up. “And then, someone sent me a message and said they knew where I got the mirror.”

 **“Maybe you need a few days just being Skull,”** Gyuki commented.

Skull perked up. “About that! Wanna know my next stunt?”

~:~

Skull revved his bike. Nerves sang through him – he’d never executed a triple flip like this through three rings of fire.

“ _Please give it up for the Immortal Skull!”_

Skull heard the roar of the crowd.

His baby purred underneath him.

_Deep breath. In, out._

Skull sped up the ramp, much to the screams of his fans.

It was the steepest yet, burning a lot of gas.

Skull pushed his bike to the limits, the bike leaping up.

Skull used his strength to flip the bike once.

His helmet jostled.

_Twice._

A hush fell over the stadium as Skull twisted again, flipping and catching his head on a burning pole.

(He was blinded from it.)

He landed, nearly falling as his back wheel teetered for a split second.

He waved to the crowds, and they went nuts.

Skull only groaned to himself as he and his bike were taken out, some nurses fussing over him.

“The great Skull is fine!” he told the nurses with a boastful laugh.

A green-haired man approached Skull.

“I’m a doctor,” he said. “May I have a blood sample?”

**Don’t.**

“No, I don’t let people take blood samples,” he said, edging away from the green-haired man, whose eyes narrowed.

Skull slammed the door behind him, leaving his bike to walk in the snow that was falling around the tents.

The purplette, not so much known up close, managed to slide into a crowd without being found when a blazing hot pain blasted from his pocket.

His mirror was telling him he was wanted.

Skull ducked into a passage between tents, taking the mirror out and opening it.

Tsunade’s image was staring at him, and Skull opened the seal on it.

~:~

Kakashi and Tsunade watched the mirror ripple, purple turning to yellow and orange, and the eighteen-year-old came out, looking solemn.

“What’s wrong?” Naruto only looked mildly concerned about whatever it was.

“We need you for a mission,” Kakashi broke to the teen – no, man.

Naruto had grown up.

“Shinobi have been going missing in a new land that’s popped up,” Tsunade revealed. “The Land of Tears. It’s on the edge of the Land of Frost; we were hoping you could join the tracking team as a long-range member.” She took a deep breath. “Kakashi will be leading this team. We were hoping, with your admittedly limited ANBU experience, that you would help.”

“I was ANBU for a _day,”_ Naruto reminded them. “Before I was unceremoniously killed off, too.”

He _pouted_ even as Tsunade flinched from that reminder. Kakashi only yawned in exaggerated boredom.

“I better get paid for this. Did you know the exchange rate in Italy for our money is amazing?” Naruto’s eyes were full of excitement – and then the man cussed in another language. “If you figure out the pay while I get myself to my home and create a clone, then I’ll do it! Should take me two hours to get to my trailer…”

Tsunade nodded even as Naruto vanished through the mirror.

Kakashi leaned towards Tsunade.

“What’s _Italy?”_

Tsunade shrugged.

“Some magical land in the mirror?”

~:~

“Now, Alpha, I am _trusting_ you to lie your ass off to everyone while I’m indisposed.”

The other Skull gave him a sarcastic smile.

“Yessir!” he said in a mocking voice.

Skull shouldered his backpack and disappeared through the mirror, not knowing what would happen to his body.

~”~

The cloned Skull shoved the original’s body in the bathroom, glad he was a clone and therefore didn’t need to eat.

He just had to figure out a way to keep _everyone_ off the trail of the body in his bathroom…

“Maybe you should spray perfume,” Takahana suggested from his place, looking undisturbed. “Cloying perfume would help.”

“Unless I want to be rendered unconscious and jobless, then fuck no,” Alpha-Clone snarled.

~:~

Naruto’s eyes were dead.

That’s the first thing Shikamaru noticed from his former friend. That’s what Sakura noticed too.

Naruto pushed forward, separating the body from the head.

“Naruto?” Sakura ignored the spray of blood on his face and touched it.

Naruto’s eyes met hers, and Sakura inhaled.

“What happened to you?” she half-moaned in anguish for her teammate.

“I’d say my fellow nin turning on me did,” Naruto said, his voice empty.

“We didn’t,” Neji said, stepping forward.

“I didn’t say you did,” Naruto said, removing his head from Sakura’s grasp. “It’s – it’s fucking _normal,_ being betrayed by people, to me. You all – _they_ – never asked if I _wanted_ this. Then, I didn’t.”

“And now?” Shikamaru asked cautiously.

Naruto turned to him, and there was something so distinctly _not_ Naruto in his gaze that it made Shikamaru wonder where the man had been.

Sasuke walked into the cave, sliding his sword into its sheath.

 He walked up to Naruto, perfectly expressionless.

“ _Usuratonkachi.”_

“Teme,” Naruto shot back, a smile on his face.

“You’ve got blood on you,” Sasuke criticized. “Wipe it off before you put this back on.”

He held out the ANBU mask.

Naruto wiped the blood off, his gaze fixed on Sasuke.

“If you all try to say a word,” Sasuke went on, turning and showing off his Mangekyou eyes – eyes that Naruto had supposedly _sealed_ – “I’ll kill you.”

Sakura cracked her knuckles, glowering at them all darkly.

~:~

Skull tried to breathe.

_“Where is the hero now?” Sohma demanded. “Dead and betrayed! You’ll all face the same fate as your hero – death by a friend! If none of you –“_

_Sohma was cut off by a kunai._

_Having lost his mask due to a scuffle, Naruto had no choice but to kill the leader of the Land of Tears._

_“In accordance with the bylaws in the numerous treaties with the countries around the Land of Fire, you are given the death penalty for the kidnapping and murder of Konoha citizens,” Naruto said flatly, pressing the blade into his neck._

_It was a lie to say that Naruto was actually surprised that Sasuke showed up; it_ was _a surprise when Sasuke just_ had _to show them his damn Sharingan._

 _“I’m not looking for friendship, because I did lie to you,” Naruto admitted honestly. “But I won’t say it didn’t hurt me, what you did – or, I should say what you_ didn’t _do.”_

_“No offence, but there’s no way our word alone woulda done somethin’.” Kiba looked uncomfortable. “Nobody in our generation was at that farce of a trial.”_

_“How did you escape?” Shikamaru asked suddenly._

_Naruto sighed as he put his mask on._

_“Same way the last time a_ Chidori _was shoved in my chest, except this time he didn’t have vested interest in keeping me alive. I don’t even live in the Elemental Countries anymore, Shika- Shikamaru. I live somewhere else.” Naruto smiled behind his mask as he thought of his friends, brief as they were. “I was married, too, you know,” he added. “A lovely beauty. Pity that I’m a guy over there. She was one fine woman.” He started to walk. “All that stuff was bullshit, by the way. There’s no fuckin’ bylaws.”_

_That meant they should get out._

Skull screamed in rage, hitting a tree. He ached to be there again, in the Elemental Countries. It was almost a physical ache that drew him to touch the mirror, that begged him to draw the symbols on it that took him back, to leave this world and go _home._

Because that’s where home _was._

Skull shook his head, gritting his teeth, and slammed his fist in a tree.

All his training told him that this fragile body was not as durable as his body was.

He ignored it.

Again and again, until his fingers were raw and he could definitely say he could see his knucklebones.

He sank to his knees, his mind flashing back to the war.

~:~

Verde was walking through the forest, hoping to find _something_ that peaked his interest.

After spotting vibrant purple hair, he grinned and quickened his pace.

He stopped when he saw the state of the stuntman’s knuckles.

For once, gaining the supposedly immortal Skull’s blood was put on the back burner. For now.

Verde had alcohol. Maybe that would help Skull.

~:~

Skull vaguely felt warm. A blanket was over his legs, his hands were bandaged, and a bottle of something was in his hand.

He had blanked out after collapsing. He hadn’t done that for a few years, since a little after he’d come back.

But then, he seemed to need a refresher on why the hell he was even here.

Hearing a snore, he looked up to see the green-haired doctor sitting in a chair, unconscious.

Skull swallowed and stood, taking the blanket off and setting the half-full drink down.

He left the place, noting that it was pretty nice for a doctor.

He walked the ten miles to his camp, listening to the laughter of the people in the place.

Skull was mostly sure he didn’t have anything scheduled, seeing as he only did stunts the first three days. Occasionally his boss would ask him to do more, but seeing as Skull actually brought more people to the show to see _him_ during the first three days, the ringmaster had agreed to keep Skull on those days and pay him double for the others.

He opened his trailer, sighing as he unwrapped his hands and muttered to himself when he saw they were healed.

“Good thing they’re fine, though I’ll have to keep them wrapped.”

“What happened?”

Skull let out a girly shriek as Reborn’s voice came from behind him.

“Nothing!” Skull denied, hiding his hands behind him. “Nothing at all!”

“Hmm, I doubt that. Oh, well. I need you for a job,” Reborn said with a smirk.

Skull felt something cold slide down his spine at the smirk on his face.

“Oh HELL –“

He fell to the floor, out like a light.

~:~

“You shot him with the tranq?” Daniela asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

“Well, I wasn’t about to try to bring him here conscious,” Reborn said dryly. “He IS a civilian still.”

Daniela looked at the unconscious stuntman sprawled on the floor.

“Well, I actually don’t need him anymore. My little problem was taken care of.” Daniela frowned at Skull. “But I could see if he’s compatible with my son. He needs a Cloud,” Daniela thoughtfully hummed.

She noticed Reborn’s face tighten before it relaxed, and nearly smiled.

_Well, well, someone was possessive._

Reborn coughed. “Any jobs?”

“Not yet, I’ll contact you if I do.”

Reborn stalked out of the room, leaving the unconscious stuntman to Daniela.

Daniela sighed at Skull’s unmoving body.


	12. Chapter 12

Skull woke up rather quickly, despite remaining limp and breathing evenly. The war had ingrained a lot in him – assess situations as he woke up to them, pretend to be asleep, be dramatic to the point of stupidity – and he felt like this was a situation he needed to remain unconscious i.

“ – I actually don’t need him anymore. My little problem was taken care of. But, I could see if he’s compatible with my son. He needs a Cloud.”

_Cloud?_

“Any jobs?” Reborn’s voice was stoic. Uncaring.

_Dick._

**You think he’s a hot one.**

_I think the more I get to know him, the more I want to kick his ass._

**And then let it dissolve into him fucking you. We know how you think, _baka._ WE’RE IN YOUR DAMN MIND!**

“Not yet, I’ll contact you if I do.”

Reborn left, leaving Skull and the woman in the room alone.

Skull allowed himself to twitch a little before sitting up, meeting the eyes of the woman dumbly.

“So, Reborn’s not gonna have his wicked way with me, or is this a threesome-type situation?”

The woman with the tattooed face burst into laughter.

~:~

“This is Mafia Academy, to those in the know, Mr. Mort,” Daniela di Vongola told him, standing at the bottom of a driveway. Skull stared at the pristine academy, then looked at Daniela with a long-suffering look.

“Is this because I told you I never had a formal education?” the stuntman whined.

Daniela sweatdropped.

“Hardly,” Daniela replied, moving forward. The mass of bodyguards moved with her.

(She was Vongola Ottava, after all. Walking up a simple school driveway filled with budding hitmen and future bosses and the like? Like _daring_ someone to come after her. But, ‘Mafia Academy’ was a neutral zone, like some places in Japan, China, and even a small town in America.)

Daniela moved with purpose down the hallway, Skull sticking out like a sore thumb with his blatantly purple hair.

“Though, I suppose you are getting an education, if you bond with my son. He’s not exactly your age – younger, in fact, only twenty-two –“

“Eh, I’d be younger than him,” the stuntman said blandly. “I’m nineteen.”

Daniela’s eyes widened. “You told Reborn –“

“I lied,” Skull admitted carelessly. “He’s a dick, and he should know better than to trust me. I fact, I could be lying right now.” He winked at Daniela.

Daniela’s right eye twitched.

“Whatever. He’s only twenty-two. You two should get along fine.” _I hope. Hell, I’d snatch this Cloud up if I could._ An inkling of an idea popped in her head, but Daniela squished it down as much as she could.

~:~

Skull scowled at his ‘fellow’ Guardians who were sizing him up like he was a piece of meat.

“You’re only just now getting involved in the mafia?” scoffed one of them. Skull smiled a not-very-nice smile.

“Yes, dear,” he said mockingly.

The man scowled. Skull’s eyes widened at the vision of actual _lightning_ sparking between his fingers – lightning that sparked green.

“You should learn how to talk, Cloud,” one of the others said, looking darkly upon Skull, who frowned.

“Nobody has given me a clear answer upon _what_ a Cloud _is,”_ Skull snapped, glaring at them with hostile eyes.

“It’s your Flames of Resolve,” the second man said after scrutinizing the stuntman, determining he was being serious. “I’m Schnitten Brabanters.”

“Skull de Mort,” Skull responded, frowning a little.

“Like the stuntman?” the first one asked, the sparkles of lightning fading.

“That’s me,” Skull responded, almost defensively.

“No way!” the eyes of the man widened, making him look considerably younger than the eighteen he apparently was. “But you’re supposedly immortal!”

“ _Supposedly,”_ Skull said with a snort. “I’m just good at my job.”

“A civilian stuntman, wonderful. Just what Nono needs,” scoffed another.

“Come on, Coyote,” Schnitten said, rolling his eyes at the other. “It’s not so bad!”

“Nah, I agree,” Skull nodded. “It’s terrible.” Schnitten snorted at Skull.

“How about we fight it out?” Coyote challenged, eyes narrowing.

“I’m not sure –“ Skull began, only to yelp as red flames burned near one of his feet. “Fine, it’s on!” Skull assumed a fake fighting position, narrowing his eyes as his shinobi mind flashed over the facts.

 _Well, if I aimed for his supposedly weaker side, he’ll probably expect that and guard it. Yep, he’s doing it now as I glance at him… No, going for the face, too risky, stomach’s protected… Damn, this guy’s good._ Skull lashed out with a high kick, aiming for the face, then switched as the man leaned backwards and twisted his foot to hook around the man’s weaker leg. Grabbing the arm that came at him, Skull twisted it and tripped the man, sending him sprawling.

Even though he didn’t consider himself a shinobi, he had to be flexible for his stunts. This man was built, too solid for a shinobi.

Some shinobi relied on strength. Naruto was never going to be one of them, though he was primarily a front-line fighter. Naruto relied on his mass chakra. Skull relied on speed, a smaller build, _and_ a small amount of chakra to enhance his speed.

“Kiss my ass,” Skull growled after almost breaking the arm he held in his grasp.

He released the arm, backing away, quickly forming Konoha’s seal of reconciliation before closing his hand – remembering that this was _not_ Konoha, and therefore _not_ a sign this man would register.

And this wasn’t his _comrade._

Skull shook his head.

“Nah, this isn’t going to work out.”

He spotted a window and took a deep breath.

Then he ran, jumping off the man he’d beaten and slamming through the window.

He forced his body to straighten, forcing his chakra to the balls of his feet and legs, keeping them from shattering on impact with the ground.

 _It wasn’t this hard in Konoha,_ he thought, landing and hissing as stars seemed to dance around his face.

He darted for the road, jogging out of Mafia Academy.

~:~

Daniela heard someone opening her window and tumbling in. She raised a gun she had on her desk, eyes fixed on paperwork.

“Don’t kill me!” Skull’s voice yelped.

She turned her gaze to the sweating stuntman.

“I hate your son and I didn’t even meet him.”

Daniela snorted, setting her gun down. Vongola Intuition told her this _was_ Skull.

“You know, I was thinking,” Daniela said, glancing at Skull, “I can teach you about Flames if you be my temporary Guardian for an upcoming mafia event.” She tapped her chin. “You might even meet a lady there.”

“Whatever,” the Cloud grunted. “I need to call my ringmaster. He’s going to kill me.”

~:~

“Lesson one,” Daniela said, taking out a box, “I’m going to shoot you with a Dying Will Bullet. You better have a regret,” she warned the Cloud.

Skull tilted his head as she put in a bullet in her gun.

“A Dying Will Bullet?”

Daniela cocked the gun.

“You will die,” she said with a grin, “if you have no regrets.”

The echo of the gun firing left Skull’s ears ringing.

~:~

_Any regrets?_

_I… Regret that I’m scared of ghosts?_

Skull opened his eyes to find himself standing, staring at his hands.

A purple flame danced on his hands.

He looked in a mirror in the office, and a flame was centered on his forehead.

“Cool,” he said, taking in his eyes, which were kind of, but darker than, Hinata’s.

The fire burned away.

“So?” Daniela leaned in to him. “What was your regret?”

“That I’m scared of ghosts,” deadpanned Skull.

Daniela laughed… And sobered at Skull’s face.

“Seriously?”

“You’ve never seen a ghost like this,” Skull said, paling at the recollection. The ghost had possessed him, like, _thrice._

Okay, it’d been _his_ idea, but whatever. Well, the first two, not the third.

“Like what? A vengeful spirit?” Daniela looked highly skeptical.

“The ghost wanted to see his wife again, and he possessed me twice while looking for said revenge,” Skull deadpanned. “I was arrested the second time because I broke into a highly classified meeting.”

“And _that_ scared you?” Daniela did not look impressed.

Skull leveled her with a look. “I was very nearly tortured.”

He avoided saying he _had,_ actually, on account of the fact it had been a while before Ghost Man had deigned to rescue his ass by possessing him for a _third_ time. Plus, he didn’t have the scars to prove it, so…

It was the first time he’d seen the darkness that had shrouded shinobi life.

A chime brought him out of his thoughts.

His mirror… Why was Tsunade requesting him again?

“What was that?”

“A message,” Skull replied, his face unknowingly darkening. The Cloud Flame suddenly sprouted again, making him smile and chuckle at its seeming eagerness to dance in his palm. “These Flames are so cute,” he said, entranced by them.

Daniela blinked. “They usually don’t come out on their own,” she said slowly. “Unless you’re a powerful Cloud.”

**I’d expect nothing less.**

The hissing voice of the empty, humanoid form that Naruto had been forced to bring inside him along with the others on his “death” jarred Skull so badly he jumped and twisted around, paler than a ghost.

“Something wrong?” Daniela asked.

“N-no,” Skull stuttered, forcing himself to shove away the terrible feeling he had. “No, I just… I need some time alone.”

Daniela nodded. “The event is tonight,” she reminded him.

Skull nodded jerkily. “I’ll be ready.”

~:~

Daniela’s remaining Guardian, a Sun by the look of him, smiled at Skull tolerantly as Skull took a seat behind Daniela’s chair.

Daniela settled herself in her chair, awaiting the other members of the Vongola Alliance. Perhaps they’d look with wonder upon Skull, but they wouldn’t say anything to Daniela.

The Chiavarone Famiglia entered, their new Don making Daniela fight down small insecurities about her own age.

Sure, she knew she was getting up there, but… She didn’t want to retire early.

“Who are we waiting for?” the new don asked, glancing down his nose at her.

Daniela gave him a cool look. “Everyone else,” she answered coldly.

In the next half hour, the rest of the Alliance arrived, only one of the smaller Famiglias taking appraisal of the Cloud near Daniela.

Reborn slid in, barely a shadow as the door clicked shut as the Cielo Stellato Famiglia sat down.

The Cielo Stellato was the only other famiglia headed by a donna, and she was quite young.

Daniela cleared her throat, and the meeting began.

~:~

Skull escaped as soon as it was polite to, unintentionally drawing the eye of the donna of the Cielo Stellato.

Sofia di Cielo Stellato (Sofia of the Starry Sky, roughly translated) excused herself from the small gathering, watching the Cloud like a hawk did a rabbit.

Sofia strode with purpose next to the Cloud, flaring her Sky subtly. She felt his Cloud respond unknowingly; Sofia sighed. He was too strong for her.

“Too bad,” she said, making him glance at her, proving he was aware of her presence. “You are too strong for me. I would have loved to have you as a Cloud.”

There was hints of Sky running through his Cloud; but she could also sense that there was some damage – if not to his Flames, to him.

She touched him, and as usual was greeted with a rush of images.

She did not pity him, nor could she empathize with him.

Sofia knew he knew, for he drew away – Sofia clutched at his hands, looking him in the eyes.

“I will not pity you,” she promised, “but nor can I empathize with you, Naruto.”

“My name is Skull,” he rasped, fine tremors rolling through his body.

“It’s the name you chose,” Sofia murmured, “but it is not yours.”

She grasped his hand. “Let me help you forget,” she coaxed.

Sofia _needed_ him to agree. She rubbed her Flames against his in a way that made him almost Flame-drunk.

He smiled down at her in an amused way, almost like he knew what she was doing.

“Alright,” he agreed. “Just so you know, I’ve never had sex.”

Sofia smiled at him.

“I have, so I can teach you.”

She guided him out, passing the number one hitman. She accidentally brushed up against the hitman, getting the faint imprint of passing emotions.

_Jealousy, impatience._

Sofia hid a smirk.


	13. Chapter 13

Skull gave Daniela a pleased smirk.

“I hope you used protection,” Daniela said dryly.

“Protection?” Skull knit his brows together at the term.

Daniela and her Sun, Alberto, whirled on Skull.

“Skull, you _do_ know what a condom is, right?” Alberto questioned.

“No,” Skull said, going pale – he was guessing, though. “Sofia didn’t have them.”

“ _Fuck.”_ Daniela tried not to curse, usually – but of _course_ the younger Sky needed an heir. She didn’t have a full Set of Guardians, and if she was using Skull that meant she’d found Skull worthy of producing her an heir. “Fuck fuck _fuck._ You were just used to create children, you imbecile!”

“Mother _fucker,”_ Skull hissed, looking ill at the thought.

No… Daniela’s Intuition told her that it _wasn’t_ the thought of having children, exactly. It was something else.

“Skull…” Daniela folded her arms. “What, exactly, are you hiding?”

Skull shook his head almost violently. “Nothing that’s important to you.” He backed up. “I need to find Sofia.”

Daniela glanced at Alberto, who nodded.

“Don’t get caught, you moron. Alberto is going to take me on a trip to the Cielo Stellato base. If you get caught, don’t speak a _word_ about the possibility of Sofia di Cielo Stellato having a child,” warned Daniela.

The _last_ thing Sofia di Cielo Stellato needed was a technically bastard birth, what with all the stress the Misty Sky donna was being put through with one of the darker famiglias, the Estraneo.

Skull nodded and vanished.

~:~

Sofia looked up as her window opened.

Skull was there – no, he was Naruto. The look was all Skull, but the _soul_ that shone was all Naruto.

He knew. Her heart sank.

“You know, if you don’t marry someone your child will be considered a bastard.”

“ _Children.”_ Her soft voice met his ears, and his eyes widened in shock. “I went to a friend,” she said, setting down her book, “and she said my children will be set on opposite paths. They’ll be taken from me at birth, separated. One will have a Wrathful Sky child. One will have a Mist child whose path is not set in stone. And you.” She stood and looked at Naruto, who seemed to be rooted to the spot. “And you,” she went on softly, “will be there through it all.”

She touched where his whisker marks would be.

“I can’t tell you everything,” Sofia whispered. “But if you want to make sure you’re there…”

~:~

“I’m married again.” Takahana laughed at his misfortune. “It’s not funny, bastard!”

He heard the crackle of flame against his trailer. “Shit! Takahana-san, I’m going to have to seal you!”

Takahana nodded, his amusement vanishing.

Skull sealed the portrait up, leaping out of his trailer in time to see a Notte Oscura member standing outside his trailer.

_“Avada Kedavra.”_

Green light illuminated Skull’s world.

~:~

Renato executed the driver halfway to their destination, making the truck lurch. Renato slowed the truck down, opened the door, and then accelerated as he jumped out.

His suit ripped. Renato growled angrily before standing and walking over to the truck’s crash point.

He threw open the back, and Skull was laying there, unconscious. A trickle of blood came from his head, and Renato winced a little.

A loud _crack_ was heard. Renato aimed to injure, so four shots later and the man was unconscious from four bullets. One in each leg and one in each shoulder.

A van pulled up. The door opened, and Renato shoved the Notte Oscura member in.

“Don’t let him escape,” Renato ordered curtly.

Skull groaned a little.

“Hey, Skull,” Renato frowned. “You alive?”

“Not… ‘Kull.”

Renato tried to push down his alarm.

“Your name? What’s your name?”

“’Lessandro…” Renato frowned. “Alessandro,” the man rasped. “Alessandro Zabini.”

~:~

Alessandro – or Alex, as his friend Sarah called him during his five years at Hogwarts – winced as he tried to bring the world into focus. Alex had been trying to save the mirror… Mirror of Mystery… From his mother. Maria had wanted the mirror to bring someone to this world, and Alex couldn’t let that happen.

And then he’d died.

Alex closed his eyes as flashes came back to him – Naruto, he was named, had come from that other world. He was still in Alex, too. Alex had only been shoved back into his body because of Naruto’s magical death – Alex had to die for him to come back.

Alex wanted to live a little more.

Maria bustled forward, kissing Reborn’s cheeks.

Alex stood. “I’m leaving,” he said curtly.

“Oh, my dear Alessandro! Where is the mirror?” Maria’s immediate concern was the mirror.

Alex stared at her dully.

“Lost it,” he said, telling the absolute truth. _He_ had.

He didn’t know where Naruto had put it.

“Alessandro –“ his mother began, only for Alex to growl at her. Like, literally.

“I’m not doing this _domestic_ shite,” he said, angry. “I’m _leaving_ before you embarrass yourself. Good _day,_ Lady Zabini.”

Alex Apparated.

Technically, it wasn’t something he should be able to do, as he wasn’t a fully fledged wizard. He’d been on the run since he was fifteen – kind of like Naruto.

(Except he hadn’t been able to run an entire planet away.)

There was a chime. _The mirror._

Alex started to walk.

~:~

Naruto was stuck.

 **“I don’t like you,”** the Juubi hissed. **“But you’re strong. And when your will weakens, I will _devour_ you.”**

Naruto stared at the Juubi from his place, far above, in Chomei’s grasp.

“Chomei, please drop me.”

Chomei knew better than to argue. Naruto always won.

Chomei dropped him.

Naruto landed harshly on the ground, right in front of the Juubi.

“Do you have a name?”

The Juubi sneered.

**“I am the all-powerful Juubi! I don’t need a –“**

**“His name should be ‘prick’,”** Chomei said in her usual serene tone.

 **“Soul-sucking ass,”** Matatabi ‘innocently’ said.

“So his name is Mr. Soul-Sucking Ass Prick? _Rude,”_ Naruto smirked, dodging the Juubi’s hands, before slamming the gate on him, locking the seal shut.

 **“You know that’s only temporary,”** Kurama warned, padding over to him.

Naruto closed his eyes.

“It’ll have to do.”

~:~

Alex could feel his time running out. So he let her find him, sitting in broad daylight and sipping a drink.

He’d dyed his hair to a vibrant shade of green, but his mother still sat across from him.

All around him, envious eyes looked to the elegant lady.

“Lady Zabini,” Alex addressed her formally, “I, Alessandro Zabini, formally cut ties with magic and the Zabini family. I no longer claim the Zabini name. I entrust to my former sibling, Blaise, my gold in my vaults.”

Alessandro felt bereft as magic deserted him. But he’d lived as long as he had as a Muggle, and he would not allow his mother to dictate his life as she had.

“And finally, I cut all ties with you. I will no longer depend on you.” Alex closed his eyes. “I entrust what is left of my life to Naruto.”

~:~

Naruto opened his eyes to see a pretty lady staring at him in horror.

“My hair is too purple, isn’t it?”

The woman leaped up, withdrawing a wand.

“ _Sonuva –“_

A shot echoed, and Skull slumped.

~:~

Renato smirked at Maria Zabini.

“I owed him death, Lady Zabini,” he said, tucking his gun away.

The other members of the mafia looked away.

“I would have preferred it if you remained out of my way,” Lady Zabini snapped at him.

“I would have preferred it if you hadn’t forced me to kill this idiot,” Renato said, picking up Skull’s limp body. “Good day, Lady Zabini.”

Renato walked off, looking relaxed but in reality, ready to whirl and use Skull’s dead weight as a shield.

~”~

Skull opened his eyes, trying to focus.

“Ugh. My head.” He rubbed his head. “Why is it, whenever I’m around you, I get shot by you?”

“You weren’t even around me,” Reborn said with amusement, before his amusement faded. “I want you to do a job for me.”

Skull scowled. “Your jobs usually get me tortured,” Skull complained. “Plus, I’m a married man, Reborn.”

He wiggled his left hand, which definitely had a ring on his finger.

Reborn raised an eyebrow. “I heard. The donna of the Cielo Stellato – the Misty Sky.” Reborn smirked. “But I’m sure she doesn’t know of _your_ ability. Don’t worry, if I have to kill you to get you out –“

“No,” Skull denied him. “I’ll do the job, but I better get a cut of whatever you’re getting. I don’t get paid nearly enough for this shit.”

“Good,” Reborn smirked. “Because it _does_ involve killing the Cuore Nero heir.”

Skull knit his eyebrows together.


	14. Chapter 14

_Why is it, every time I ask him to do a simple thing, I end up pulling his ass out of the fire?_ Renato entered the dungeon, and Skull was there.

It was worse than the first time Renato had saved him. Skull looked drained, exhausted, and scared.

And not just _playing_ scared. He looked _terrified_ of the man currently in his face.

 _“Watashi wa Asuma o koroshita. Watashi wa kare o koroshimashita, anata wa sore ni tsuite nani mo suru koto wa dekimasen._ ” Renato quickly translated in his head – he could understand that this man had killed someone named Asuma, and considered Skull a mortal.

Skull opened his mouth, and he spoke as though he were not showing his fear in his face. _“Anata wa Hidan dake o tasukemashita. Hidan wa kare no kama de kare o koroshita.”_

Hidan had killed this Asuma person?

 _“Shōsai,”_ the man said, waving his hand.

 _Specifics?_ Renato frowned, watching the man grip Skull and stab him with an odd dagger.

_“Watashi wa kono sekai de watashi no chakura o tsukau koto wa dekimasen. Anata ga watashi ni yarou to shita yō ni, tsuini anata o korosu no ga daisukinanode, shitsubō shite imasu.”_

_I can't use my chakra in this world. Disappointing, because I'd love to finally kill you like you tried to do to me._

Renato ducked out of Skull’s sight, content to listen now that his rusty Japanese was coming in quite handy.

_“Anata ga watashi no sensei o korosou to shite itanode, watashi wa anata dake o korosou to shimashita!”_

_I only tried to kill you because you were trying to kill my teacher!_

_“Shinjitsu. Shikashi, anata ga watashitoisshoni tanoshiku sugosu mae ni, watashi ga pein ni anata o daka seru to omottara, anata wa bakada.”_

_True. But you're an idiot if you think I was going to let Pein have you before I had my fun with you first._

A gasp was heard, most likely from Skull.

_“Darekaga anata o sukuu tame ni kuru to omottara, kinishinaide kudasai. Dare mo anata o kono sekai de mitsukeru koto wa dekimasen. Watashi wa anata o Madara ni tsurete ikimasu.”_

_And if you think someone is going to come save you, don't bother. Nobody will find you in this world. I'm taking you to Madara._

Skull gasped. “No – no, Kakuzu, no, please don’t,” Skull begged.

The man, Kakuzu, laughed cruelly.

“You’re not going to stop me this time, little fool,” Kakuzu bragged. “I have a mirror that will take us to him.”

Italian, finally!

Renato peeked around the corner.

Skull struggled against his bonds. “Kill me, do anything we me, _please!”_ he begged the man taking out a mirror, Skull bloody and with sweat running down his face. None of his wounds were healing.

Renato didn’t want to kill him, right then.

“You Uzumaki think you’re so tough,” the man commented, smearing his blood from a cut. “Now that I’ve bound you in every conceivable way I know to bind the jinchuuriki, you’re helpless.”

“You don’t –“ Skull rocked in his chair, then toppled over to the side. “Ahh!” He landed on his side, plunging the dagger in deeper.

Renato still hesitated. There was a chance Skull’s true identity would be revealed here, right?

“You don’t,” Skull sobbed, “know _everything.”_

Kakuzu turned, picked up Skull’s chair, and kicked his foot into the knife.

Something sparked, and Skull screamed.

Sizzling flesh was smelled.

“Ah, I was wondering when that would happen,” Kakuzu said conversationally. “Uzumaki Naruto… I’d hate to bring you back as a corpse, but since they’re pretty well locked –“

Renato stepped out, aimed his gun, and fired.

Kakuzu fell through the mirror.

Skull – Naruto – looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Please don’t,” he begged Renato. “Don’t – don’t kill me and send me through the mirror.”

Whatever had happened, whatever had _sizzled,_ it must have fried Sk – Naruto’s mind.

Renato emptied the clip, shattering the mirror Kakuzu went through.

Skull passed out.

Renato pulled Skull up, eyeing the weapon that was in him. It was in there deep, most likely severing important blood vessels.

Seeing the pool of blood on the floor, Renato highly doubted that Skull was actually going to pull through this time.

He sighed and pulled the strange weapon from his side.

Skull muttered something, indicating he was semi-awake.

“…destroy D…N… A…”

It sounded like he was exhausted from saying those three words.

Renato eyed the ground, then saw discarded matches. The man probably had planned on burning this place after he was done, probably not wanting to risk the mirror.

The mirror… Renato stood up, eyeing the glass shards on the ground.

~:~

Skull woke up in pain. And confusion.

“You’re awake.” Reborn sat next to him in a chair, sans fedora.

“You didn’t kill me,” Skull managed to say in a rasping voice.

“You begged me not to.” There was no smirk, no victory in him. Reborn simply stared at him. “Naruto.”

Skull froze, his eyes widening.

“I bet you’ve told who you wished, that I can understand. But I’m wondering one thing. What did that man mean that he’d take you to Madara?”

Skull’s breath shortened. Kakuzu scared him – he’d tried to kill Kakashi. Naruto had thought he’d killed Kakuzu with his Rasenshuriken.

“He wanted to bring me to someone who wanted something terrible,” Naruto responded roughly. “I can’t tell you everything.”

His mirror chimed. It’d been doing that once a day lately – not everyone could hear it. Just him.

“Look, I told you I wasn’t vain when we first met, right?” Skull asked him tiredly. “If I showed you _my_ world, will you _not_ give me to my worst enemy?”

“Perhaps,” Reborn answered.

Skull moved, taking the mirror in his hand, opening it and biting his thumb.

Tsunade’s face was stone.

“Get the hell in here,” she barked before vanishing.

Skull took a deep breath.

“I’m coming, but I have to bring someone with me.”

He set the mirror down on the blanket covering him and held out his other hand to Reborn.

Reborn took it, and Skull entered the mirror.


	15. Chapter 15

Skull was far different in the mirror-world than in his. He was blonde and young.

Renato felt like laughing. This man was no older than nineteen at the most.

“We have need of a Toad Sage,” the woman said, this world’s words flowing to Renato like magic. He understood _everything,_ rather having to piece things together from what he heard. He heard the distinct Japanese undertone, but… It came to him like Italian.

“So?” Naruto was tense, his arms in front of his chest defensively. “Get Jiraiya to do it. He can do anything.”

The woman stared at him.

“You don’t know.”

Renato knew what she was about to say would bring Naruto’s world crashing around him.

“Jiraiya died last week in an attempt to kill Madara.”

Naruto snorted, looking annoyed. “Yeah, that old geezer wouldn’t go six inches _near_ that country, let alone near _Madara._ We beat his ass into submission, we - _you_ can do it again.”

Tsunade fixed her gaze almost angrily at Naruto.

“He’s _dead,_ and here’s the proof.”

She slammed a scroll on the table. Renato didn’t see why – until a body poofed into existence.

He’d seen weirder, honestly, but it was still kinda mind-altering.

The body looked like any other body. Renato prowled forward, ignoring the tensing of the others in the room and examined the body.

After a close examination, he hummed.

It looked like the man had given quite a fight. But there was no evidence, apart from the autopsy lines, to indicate that this man was actually dead.

“How did he die?” Renato’s question was morbid curiosity.

“His heart was removed,” a man wearing a half-mask said.

Naruto stepped up next to Renato, looking like he was afraid.

He touched the red marking on the man, then spoke.

“Mata-chan, show me when he died.”

Naruto’s eyes flew open, markings appearing on the sides of his eyes. They were deep blue in color, a color that matched his eyes at the moment, and looked like patches of flames.

 **“You have all been tricked,”** a feminine voice rasped out. **“This was not the work of Uchiha Madara. He does not have such skill, or else his and that foolish Senju’s battle would have ended with the Senju dead.”**

“Niibi-sama,” the big-chested woman said, bowing her head. “Do you know who killed him?”

The ‘Niibi’’s eyes glazed over.

 **“Someone you know well, little masked one,”** the Niibi smiled at Kakashi. **“The one named Obito.”**

“How did you –“ the masked man said, stepping forward, only to retreat that step at Naruto’s left eye turning the violent ruby that Renato remembered seeing before, a few months previous.

(Now that he thought about it, it was already October. Had it really been a few months since he’d met Skull? It felt like longer.)

 **“Because of me, you fucking idiot,”** a rough voice snapped at him. Naruto’s eyes snapped to Renato. **“As for _you,_ you shitty asshole, _stop killing us._ It’s fucking annoying, never mind the fact the damage it’s doing on our mindscape.” **He leaned in, Renato remaining perfectly still. **“And I so _want_ to kill you for that, but really, my host wants mostly clean hands in your world.” **

**“Enough, Kura-kun,”** that female voice snapped, seemingly to the other. There was a grunt, and the red vanished, leaving ‘Mata-chan’ in control. **“Kura-kun’s right, Reborn-san. You’re getting on _all_ of our nerves, and we don’t have the kind of patience that our beloved host does. So, either stop killing him, or we rip you to shreds!” **The female voice sounded cheerful at that threat, before she seemed to vanish, leaving Renato to stare into cerulean blue eyes.

“Anyway,” the blonde woman recovered, Renato and Naruto still staring at each other. “We still need a toad sage, and you’re the best we got.”

“The _only,”_ Naruto reminded her, breaking eye contact with Renato and turning to the corpse. “I need time to think on it.”

“We need you in this world,” the woman pressed. “Until you give us your answer. You can disguise your… Guest, but please. Stay and think.”

Naruto scoffed. “All Reborn needs is some clothes of Iruka’s and he’ll fit right in. That okay with you, sensei?”

The masked man nodded, meeting Renato’s eyes with the intent of a killer.

It took a lot to scare Renato. This man did not seem to be one of the few that Renato was scared of.

~”~

Iruka was… Nice. A bit _too_ friendly to Renato.

“So, how’d you meet Naruto?” Iruka asked.

“I was hired to kill him,” Renato replied.

Iruka’s smile never faltered. “Ah, I see.”

_Was everyone in this world blasé about death and killers?_

“You do know, I assume, that you’ll have to address Naruto by a different name, I hope?” Iruka continued, turning his back as Renato changed into some of his loose clothes, grimacing a bit at the loose-ness of them.

“I was unaware of that,” Renato admitted. “May I ask why?”

“To most of our world, Naruto is dead, and it should stay that way.”

Iruka walked out of the room, and Renato followed him to see Naruto, looking like a woman, with purple hair. Another woman who looked exactly like her, but quite a bit older, sat across from her.

“You’ve lost,” the older woman noted, playing… Shogi? Odd. A game Renato had only seen in passing.

“As I usually do, nee-san,” Naruto observed in her ‘female Skull’ voice. “Ah, stranger-san, I am Sorano Furemo.”

_Empty Frame._

“Has anyone told you that your name is stupid?” Renato asked bluntly.

 _Sorano Furemo_ smiled enigmatically.

“I have a stupid life,” she said blandly.

“I don’t really care,” Renato deadpanned. “Can we leave?”

“Interested in seeing my village?” she asked in a challenging tone.

“I won’t be coming back here,” Renato replied bluntly.

Naruto gave him a look that said she got his point, standing and walking out the door.

Renato followed.

He’d seen a little on the way to Iruka and Kakashi’s apartment. Ninja – as Naruto had explained on the way there – were usually using the rooftops, but seeing as they were supposed to be incognito, Naruto, Renato, and Kakashi had used the hidden alleys between the buildings, a cloak over Naruto to hid his identity.

“So,” Renato said, breaking the silence, “you’re planning on helping them.”

Naruto glanced at him, her lavender eyes similar to her other identity’s that it was hard to think of _Naruto_ as it was easy to think of her as _Skull._

“They’re my people,” she said, smiling a bit sadly. “I don’t think I can just ignore that.”

“Maybe not,” Renato said, looking around. “But this place has not treated you well if you stayed away.”

“I stayed away out of necessity.”

“You faked your death.”

“I didn’t fake _shit.”_ She turned and glared up at him, anger sparking dangerously in her eyes. “I _died,_ okay? Not _my_ fault if my _tenant_ decides to keep me alive.”

“About that,” Renato said, stopping her in the middle of the street. “What do you mean by your –“

“Not here,” she interrupted. “Shinobi ears can be annoyingly sensitive.”

A giant dog skidded to a stop.

“Oh, hey!” The man sitting on top of the dog nodded to Naruto, who stared at him with confusion. “Sorano-chan, right? Neko-chan’s lil’ sis? You kinda saved my life a few years back.” The man laughed awkwardly. “I never got the chance to thank you.”

“It was nothing, Inuzuka-san.”

Skull bowed stiffly. The Inuzuka man stared at Skull with an expression of seriousness, and it changed into regret and then into nothing as Renato watched. “Hey, you wanna hang out with my friends? You can bring the stranger,” the Inuzuka said, his face changing to open and friendly once more.

“Sure,” Renato said.

Skull threw him a look of anger.

~”~

“-this is Shikamaru, Ino, Sakura, and Sasuke,” the man, Kiba, introduced.

“Yo,” Shikamaru said with a yawn. “Nice to meet you.”

“And you,” Naruto replied, bowing politely. “This is Reborn.”

Renato offered a tense smile.

“Pleasure,” he offered.

“Mm.” Ino looked at him piercingly. “I trust you’re treating our dear _Sorano_ well?”

“ _Ino,”_ Sakura hissed.

“This is ridiculous,” Sasuke said blandly, glaring at Reborn, his eyes going red. _“Tsukuyomi.”_

“Sas –“

Skull’s voice vanished as Reborn found himself in a room with him and _Sasuke,_ who had a giant flaming avatar-esque thing around him.

“I can kill you in this dream world a million times,” Sasuke said darkly, “and it would only be a second. If you hurt him, I will find my way to that world and kill you a thousand times a second for three days straight and you’ll be dead before you hit the ground when the three days ends in a second.”

There was no doubt in Sasuke’s eyes, only clear, incandescent _rage_ at the thought of Renato hurting Naruto.

“You seem to be under the impression I’m dating her,” Renato said, his voice cool and unbroken. This man wasn’t going to intimidate Renato.

Sasuke scoffed. “No. I see him _pining_ in that stupid-ass way. He always picks the _worst_ people to crush on, and then he gets his heart crushed when I kill them.”

Renato doubted this man was entirely sane.

~”~

“I’m a hitman,” Renato dismissed, seemingly three days later, yet only a second out in the real world. “I’m fine.”

“A hitman?” Ino inquired. “What is that?”

“Think of your job, but with less morals,” Renato explained carelessly.

“Eh, we’re a pretty strange group with shitty morals,” Kiba said, waving his hand. “Sasuke ran of with a snake dude who we’re all pretty sure was a pedophile.”

“Is,” Naruto said. “Intel suggests he’s still alive.”

“He is,” Sasuke said, gazing out the window. “He sent me a letter last week.”

“Us,” Sakura said. “I’m pregnant.”

“Congrats,” Renato said blandly.

“Is it a girl or boy?” Naruto asked, looking alive.

“Girl,” Sakura smiled.

“Don’t name it after me,” Naruto said with a smile, but no trace of laughter in her eyes.

Sakura snorted. “As if we’d name our daughter _Empty Frame._ Whoever picked that name was stupid, by the way. It’s a dumb name.”

Naruto’s eyebrow twitched. “Gods _dammit,_ my sister picked my name out!”

Kiba snorted. “She should be told that she has shit taste.”


	16. Chapter 16

Renato was impressed with this world’s electrical abilities, but was concerned by the sheer amount of people standing in the market that were clearly shinobi.

He turned to Naruto.

“Why are all of them standing around the market?”

Naruto glanced around leisurely.

“It’s still wartime,” she murmured, sounding disappointed. “They haven’t managed to beat him. Pathetic.”

Renato swallowed, then heard something.

“- damn Uzumaki painted his fucking swirl on my door.”

Naruto stiffened as a guy who smelled pungent walked past them. Renato wrinkled his nose, then glanced at Naruto, who was covering her nose discreetly.

Seeing his look, Naruto explained it. “I have an extremely sensitive nose.”

Renato nodded, walking over to a stand and seeing something similar to chocolate.

“I’d like some of that,” he pointed.

The woman bowed and nodded, but a disturbance a few shops down startled half the market.

“ _Get out!_ We don’t welcome you here!” A pink-haired woman was shoved out. A young woman half her age stood there, glaring furiously at the woman.

“If you continue to refuse customers just because the demon brat’s gone you won’t have a shop left! I’m part of the Council, you know!”

Renato connected the dots as Naruto grabbed the food, paid, and left.

“Why do they –“

“Not here,” Naruto said. “I forgot.” Renato eyed Naruto as she gave him a wooden fan. “It’s the day of the Kyuubi Festival.”

Naruto led him up the cliff face, leading him to sit on one of the spiky heads as night closed over the illuminated village.

Renato watched the village.

“This is my dad’s head, you know. Or a statue of it, at least,” she mused after a moment. “He saved the village by defeating the great Kyuubi no Kitsune.” Fireworks exploded in the sky. “He sealed it in a child born on that day.” She folded her arms. “Nineteen years ago today, I was born.”

Renato’s mouth dropped open.

“He sealed it in his own _son?”_

She laughed, but it seemed to be a laugh of surprise.

“I’m sure the mafia has done things like this before,” she said after a moment.

“Turn into yourself.”

“But –“ Renato glared at her.

With a sigh, she made a sign with her hand, and Naruto stared at him with guarded eyes.

“The mafia does some terrible shit,” Renato said, “but they hold their Famiglia above all else. What he did would have probably gotten him straight into Vendicare.” He ignored Naruto’s questioning look and stared out with anger at the village. “Did you ever get an explanation?”

Naruto sighed and moved, looking out into the village with him.

“Kyuubi – the Kyuubi – says that my father thought he couldn’t be a good Hokage if he chose his family over his village.”

Renato was instantly pissed off at this man. Condemning an innocent _child_ –

His thought process stilled.

“That’s where you get _the innocent deserve a choice.”_

Naruto nodded.

“That’s why I invited myself into your life. Innocent children deserve second chances.”

Renato smirked.

“To each their own.”

They didn’t talk, neither one enjoying the fireworks of a celebrating village that had condemned one of their own.

~”~

“Your answer?”

Naruto opened his mouth, trying not to meet Tsunade’s eyes.

He failed and lost his courage. “Fi-“

“ _Hell no,”_ Reborn said, pulling Naruto aggressively towards him. “He’s not helping assholes.”

Naruto shoved Reborn off, careful not to use his strength. “Get off me, dick! I can speak for myself!”

“You were going to agree to these assholes!”

Naruto opened his mouth to deny it. “Like _hell!_ I was gonna say, ‘Finally _no’.”_

“You’re shit at lying to me.” Reborn gazed at the leader of Naruto’s village with his dark eyes. “I’ve seen what I needed to, and frankly, your world is shit. You seek to control forces greater than you can handle, and when those forces can’t be controlled you distance yourself from them. So, no, Naruto _won’t_ be helping you, as he’s coming back through the damn mirror with _me_ and go back to being the stupid, _idiota_ Skull I actually _like_ a small bit.”

Naruto smiled a little as he heard Reborn talk.

Reborn sighed and looked to Naruto; Tsunade spoke again, speaking to Naruto and acting like she hadn’t heard a work Reborn had said.

“Your answer?”

Naruto glanced at Reborn and smirked a Skull-esque smirk.

“Screw you, _Tsunade-sama.”_

He tugged Reborn to the mirror.

Both of them vanished into it, Naruto experiencing the unpleasant change to Skull again.

Naruto sealed the mirror, closing his eyes.

“You know,” Reborn said, sitting in his chair. “I know of a few people who might appreciate a chance.”

Skull smiled a tired smile.

“Bring it on, Reborn.”

Reborn seemed to hesitate, but then he stood and walked to the door, making his fedora go down more, and stopping at the entrance.

Skull knew enough about his injuries to assume Reborn was _actually_ going to do the ever-dramatic, _incredibly_ cliché ‘drop an important information dump while Skull is bedbound’ kind of moment.

Skull wouldn’t go after him anyway.

“My real name is Renato.”

He moved away as Skull groaned.

“Gods _dammit,_ I had enough of those cliché information shit when I was at war, jackass Reborn!”


	17. Chapter 17

Mariella Corona really hated being in the Italian mafia as a serving girl. She wasn’t treated right – the famiglia she was in was a relatively new and not very powerful famiglia. This one treated her like she was nothing more than their personal bitch.

Waking up in the middle of the night, after hearing some crashes in the main part of the house, Mariella stepped out to see a dead body staring at her.

She gasped, tripping backwards to land on the ground, staring at the man with wide eyes.

That man was the don – always talking about how women were only good for being other’s servants or whores.

A figure stepped over the don’s body, leading a terrified Mariella to look up at the man she thought to be her savior.

“Yo!” the man with shockingly purple hair grinned. “I’m Skull, I’m here to rescue ya! I ride a motorcycle, hope you’re okay with that.”

Mariella honestly didn’t know why she’d take the hand of a _man._ But this one seemed to comfort her, ease her with just his presence.

She took his hand.

“I’m Skull. Can I know your name?”

Mariella swallowed. “Ma- Mariella.”

“Hi, Mariella! Want to meet a few of my friends? Not sure how Xia-He would react, but Elena and Aurore might wanna come by…”

Mariella didn’t notice walking past bodies, as Skull kept rambling about the three people he wasn’t _currently_ in contact with (“But I _know_ Xia-He will be totally okay – wait a minute, I have a wife – nah, she’d be a _terrible_ person to go to…”) about how he wasn’t _technically_ affiliated with any mafia family, just took out contracts on the people that treated other people like shit, and while he _was_ married to the donna of the Cielo Stellato it wasn’t like he had so much contact with her for him to actually be welcome there.

Mariella fell asleep on the bike, feeling safe in Skull’s arms. He was oddly warm.

~:~

“Hey, Lal.”

Lal Mirch – or Hyacinth Potter as she was once known – stared at Skull in confusion.

“How did you get into my room?”

“Your blonde student let me in once I told him my little problem,” Skull said, smiling and standing up.

Lal arched an eyebrow.

“See, I have a couple friends in the Wizarding world, and I, being the stupid person that I am, don’t know how to contact them.”

Lal snorted. “Hilarious. I’m going to send you to a friend – he’ll be able to help you. Lucky for you, he’s in town.” Then she frowned. “Wait, did you tell Colonello the _truth?”_

“Yep,” Skull said, popping the ‘p’. “He thinks I’m insane, and that you could deal with me while he dealt with idiots in the training room.”

“He said all that?” Lal asked, hiding a smirk.

“No, I can read body language,” the stuntman deadpanned.

~:~

“You _do_ know that if the Italian Ministry catches him, he’ll be Obliviated?” George Weasley eyed the woman in front of him, then at the man next to her.

He blinked as the man questioningly met his eyes, and George saw it. Saw what was reflected in _Lal Mirch’s_ eyes, what was reflected in his own eyes.

_This Skull survived something horrific._

“Nah,” Skull said. “I have this.”

He dangled his hand in front of George’s face, and George took in the ring with the inscription on it.

“You’re married to someone who is of high standing,” George said, vaguely recognizing that crest.

Skull rolled his eyes. “The donna of the Cielo Stellato.”

“You’re married into the _mafia?!”_ Lal yanked his hand closer to her face. “Why?”

“Long story short, I did it for my grand-kiddies,” Skull said, yanking his hand away before looking at George. “You recognized the symbol. Let’s just say I’m connected to the mafia in a high way and leave it at that.”

“Lal,” George said, looking to her and actually using her new name. “My mum is still hoping you would come back.”

“Molly wants a lot of things,” Lal said, her eyes darkening. “I’m sorry, but I can’t. Kingsley said I should disappear, and that’s what I’m doing.”

George nodded his head, and Lal walked away.

Both Skull and George watched her.

“You know, I find Lal similar to me,” Skull said conversationally. “Only she holds more guilt than I do.”

George licked his lips. “Lal couldn’t save everyone.”

Skull smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Neither could I.”

~:~

Elena hated owls. She didn’t hate the owls that her daughter sent her, she just hated owls in general.

Maybe that’s why the merlin made her stop and think – after all, it was actually carrying a tube. Not just a parchment letter.

Elena whistled lowly; the merlin perched on her. Elena opened the letter.

_Elena,_

_I hope this letter reaches you soon. I’m trying to help a young woman, but I’m not sure how to reintroduce her to society without her going postal on men. Help would be appreciated, and I live at the same address._

_Skull_

Elena looked at the merlin, which stared back at her.

“I hope you’re not adverse to Floo trips.”

~:~

Aurore sighed and picked at her breakfast. She _hated_ this outdated magical school.

“Aurore Maki!”

Aurore looked up, confused. Why would –

Her mother stood next to Headmistress McGonagall, looking annoyed.

Aurore jumped up, brow furrowing.

“Is everything all right, _madre?”_

“No,” her mother said. “Pack your things, we’re leaving.”

Aurore’s heart leapt. _Yes!_

“You said you simply wanted to speak to her,” the headmistress said.

Elena’s eyes narrowed. “I am Elena Estrello, here to take my daughter home. I will not allow you to keep her here. If you do, I will gather all my resources and attack without mercy.”

“I’m leaving with my mother, lady,” Aurore said, “or I’ll call my _padre.”_

The tiny girl stared at the headmistress with ferocity.

~:~

“ _SKULL!”_ Mariella dived onto his bed, interrupted his beloved sleep at two in the morning.

“’z not m’rning, go ‘way,” the tired stuntman groaned.

“Some people just came outta the _fireplace!”_

Skull hummed. “Hmmm. Go ‘sleep, Mar’lla.”

Mariella frowned at Skull’s sleeping body – and yelped as the man jerked up.

“ _Elena and Aurore!”_

The door opened, and lo and behold, the two strangers who had popped out of the fireplace were framed in the doorway.

Skull sighed.

“I don’t care if you sleep in my bed,” he yawned. “I’ve got a long day ahead of me.”

He stumbled into the living room.

The two women looked at each other guiltily.


	18. Chapter 18

Skull pushed his helmet on, eyeing the track with trepidation.

He was racing three others. His Flames sparked as he revved his bike.

Unlike the other two, Skull didn’t trust his baby’s maintenance with random people. Therefore, the former ninja had disguised himself as one of his own crew, stopping several sabotaging attempts.

Skull shot forward as the gun shot, his baby gaining traction almost immediately.

Skull kept quiet, in a space all to himself.

He approached the first bend, which had a bump in the road.

Well, a dirt hill.

The man waved a flag, and Skull gunned it, passing the man and seeing a checkered flag in the corner of his eye.

_“- don’t trust him, Skull.”_

_“You really think I’m going to trust someone with a sketchy name as ‘Checkerface’? I don’t know what game he’s playing, but he_ is _playing one.”_

Skull came back to himself ready to crash into the wall.

Skull skidded and jumped the hill, far behind the other two, trying to gain a grip on this reality.

If he lost this, then he was so dead – well, his career was, anyway.

Skull thought.

 _The property of your Flames is propogation,_ Daniela had informed him. _You are alive because your Flames are inward, therefore you create more blood._

Skull strained, shoving the vision that pressed on him away – focusing on pushing his Flames through his bike, trying to increase the speed.

The speedometer increased, the bike metal getting hot.

Skull flew down the track, flipping and taking the deadly, yet shorter, upside-down track.

He skidded to a stop, winning – right before his bike flipped and landed on Skull.

Skull breathed as shallowly as possible, medics and other people rushing as the other two biker stuntmen slid to a stop to Skull, lifting his bike up and dragging him out from under it.

Skull purposely kept himself limp.

 _“Will Skull be alive as we take off the helmet?”_ his ringmaster’s voice echoed loudly in his head, the helmet being lifted –

_“AND THE IMMORTAL SKULL STRIKES AGAIN!”_

Skull gave everyone the finger before snatching his helmet and jamming it on his head, a migraine starting to build up.

He had to wait. He _had_ to.

~:~

Renato stepped into the house, eyes widening briefly at the proximity of five people in Skull’s shitty apartment.

Xia-He Huang, Elena and Aurore Estrello, and Mariella Corona all sat around a table with Skull cooking something in the kitchen.

The talking ceased as Renato closed the door, the man tipping his fedora down at the women before he vanished in the kitchen.

Skull turned and jumped.

Renato eyed the man. “You’re having a vision again.”

Skull pressed his lips together. “Nah, holding it at bay until tonight. Dintcha hear? I’m the World’s Best Stuntman! The Immortal Skull-sama!”

“That last part was added because it means someone higher than you, doesn’t it?” Renato asked, sneaking a glance at the soup. “Whatever. I only came here because I would _like_ those skills.”

Skull snorted, tossing in noodles. “As a stuntman or getting caught and tortured?”

Renato smirked. “Stuntman. You did good in that train station; could you do something similar on a road?”

Skull leaned against the stove. “I’m listening.”

“I need someone to grab an item from a drop and hightail it out of there. It’s set for this Thursday, midnight.” Renato named a road. “There will be other parties there, but we need to get that item first.”

“What’s in it? And who are the people trading it?”

“From what I was told, a break-off famiglia from the Notte Oscura will be collecting the unknown item, the Carcassa will be giving it to them.”

“Any idea on the size?”

Renato shook his head. “It can’t be very big.” The hitman paused for a moment. “Skull, why were you so scared of that Kakuzu man?”

Skull froze, his ladle up in the air. Skull slowly set it down, then adjusted the stove controls so the soup simmered.

“I…” Skull closed his eyes. “Back in my world, Kakuzu was a bounty hunter. Always went after the high bounties. There were three bounties higher than Tsunade-sama’s. Hatake Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto, and Sarutobi Asuma.” Skull’s right hand clenched. “I – Asuma was killed. I wasn’t there, I was trying to survive an assault from a cousin of mine who decided I needed to die.” He took a shaky breath. “Kakuzu scares me so much because Kakuzu will take me to Madara. And if Kakuzu takes me to Madara, the whole world – probably this one, too – will be plunged into a never-ending, perfect dream world. Our bodies will wither away, and we’ll all just be _dreaming_ of perfection.” Skull glared past Renato. “I was pretty damn sure I killed him, the last time I saw him. Apparently, he wasn’t.”

Renato narrowed his eyes. “How did you kill him?”

Skull swallowed, looking a bit ashamed.

“It was an evolved version of my father’s technique.”

“And you’re ashamed of using it?”

Skull’s expression changed to confusion, then an _oh, shit_ expression crossed it.

“No… I don’t really feel guilty for almost killing Kakuzu.”

 _Oh._ Skull was having a permanent morality crisis.

“I see.”

Renato looked at the soup, knowing Skull wasn’t up to talking.

“Your soup is about to burn.”

~:~

Skull’s bike, once a dark purple, was now a flat black, with a Chinese dragon circling it. Pity he would have to re-paint his bike, Xia-He had a lot of fun painting his bike.

He sighed as he put his helmet on, his hair also dyed to black, a black bandanna over his nose to stop people from recognizing him if his helmet flew off from this stunt he was going to pull.

There was some danger to this job. Elena was taking over the care of Mariella, as Skull was quite busy nowadays – mostly because he was setting up safehouses for himself with the untouched money in his bank account. And for possible refugees.

His visions about the white-haired man had faded, meaning that either the time for them had passed or they weren’t for a while yet; now, he was having disturbing visions of a checkered mask and an iron hat. Weird.

And _scary._

The man scared Skull more than Madara scared the Elemental Countries. And _that_ was saying something.

Skull rolled his bike out and started it, hurrying to the meeting place.

~:~

“Are you positive that these are the items we requested?”

Cars and motorcycles passed them.

One such approached, not bothering them.

“I wouldn’t have sold them to you if they weren’t,” said one of the others. “Our don would not allow it.”

The approaching bike suddenly sailed into the air, the gleam of a wire wrapping around the box the last thing seen before it was yanked into the air.

“You sold us out!” The bike dropped, the box seeming to vanish as the biker leaned forward, exhaust choking them.

“No!”

One of the splinter faction of the Notte Oscura obliterated them with a few flashes of green light, then turned to the group. “I will be back with the fool who dared to steal from us.”

With a loud _crack,_ the member vanished.

~:~

Skull opened the box, curious as to what it contained, defying Reborn’s orders to keep it closed. It was a loose profile of him, of Skull.

Skull frowned and crossed his legs, reading all the material.

_Subject: Skull de Mort_

_Properties: Cloud?_

_Affiliation: Cielo Stellato, Vongola, COMSUBIN_

It got creepy. His eating habits, his withdrawals from the bank…

A chill ran down his spine as he read this next bit.

_Unable to die, bound to another world. Matter for Notte Oscura?_

The safehouse door opened, Reborn’s getting to be traditional greeting meeting his ears.

~:~

 _“Chaos._ I told you _not_ to open it.”

Reborn’s small, patented smirk fell upon seeing Skull’s ghost white face.

“Is something wrong, Skull?”

Skull licked his lips.

“I’m pretty sure that the Carcassa Famiglia knows about the mirror.” He tried to keep his voice steady, but he failed. “And I’m pretty sure that the Notte Oscura are planning something to do with you.”

Renato sat down and began reading silently.

“We need to cease contact,” Renato said, gathering up all the papers and flicking a light.

Skull shook his head, blowing out the lighter.

“Won’t work. Takes too long.”

“Well, if _you_ have an idea,” Renato said, scowling a little.

Skull nodded. “I actually do.”

His hands flew through a series of motions, and then he drew back and blew out.

Renato’s eyes widened as fire streamed from Skull’s mouth, turning the paper to ash.

Skull coughed out ash after he ceased breathing fire, stomping out the small fire that had sprung up – Renato was unprepared as Skull suddenly clutched his arm, a look of agony flashing over his face.

Renato glared at him as the moment passed.

“Kakuzu sealed my chakra up a lot,” Skull gritted out. “Most of the seals have been overridden, but some haven’t been.” He took a deep breath. “I know what I need to do, and it’s going to take a lot of work.”

Skull looked directly at Renato.

“I need you to spread rumors of the mirror being in my possession,” he said clearly. “And I need to get captured by the Notte Oscura. They’re planning to do something, and I need to stop them.”

Skull brought out the mirror.

“And to do that…” Skull opened it and pricked his finger on one of his sharp canines. “I need to cash in a few favors.”


	19. Chapter 19

Uzumaki Nagato, held for an indefinite period (or until the war ended and he was tried and executed for his crimes), had had his eyes sealed by Jiraiya of the Sannin, a straightjacket keeping him from slipping his cell.

Not like he could, as weak as his body was.

He felt arms lift him up – Konan’s arms, he suspected – taking him somewhere.

This was done in absolute silence, for some odd reason, until cool night air hit his face.

They were running, then – running still silently – and Nagato knew.

He was going to his death, and Konan was going to hers, too.

~:~

Konan set Nagato down on the couch.

“What the _hell?”_

The characteristic outburst from the other Uzumaki made Konan stiffen, thinking that maybe the guards had led them here, tricking them –

The Konoha Uzumaki was inspecting Nagato with anger etched upon his face, and Konan belatedly realized he was angry at Konoha’s treatment of Nagato.

“What the _hell,_ Tsunade?” Naruto burst out, flashing angered scarlet eyes at the Hokage. “Faking his death was supposed to bring _relief_ to him, not –“

“He is a _prisoner of war,_ Naruto,” Tsunade said to the man sharply, annoyance flashing through her eyes. “I hope you’re right about this,” the woman added, the annoyance fading as the busty Kage sat back in her chair.

“This plan hinges on this… group of people capturing you and getting you to open a way into our world that doesn’t have to do with the mirror,” the silver-haired man with gravity-defying hair said, his singular eye narrowing. “It’s insanity.”

“Actually, my plan hinges on Reborn being an asshole as usual,” Naruto said in a cutting voice, rolling his eyes. “I was going to _ask_ Nagato if he wants to leave, but there’s no way in hell I’m leaving him here in Konoha. Or Konan, for that matter,” he added darkly.

The Kage’s jaw jumped. “You cannot –“

“I cannot _what?”_ the jinchuuriki questioned coolly, meeting her gaze head on. “I can’t _return?_ I can’t _steal away_ people who need _help?_ But you, you can take and take and take and _take?_ I’ve given all I can, Tsunade! I’ve helped you with your problems, I only _asked_ for weapons and things to _defend_ myself and you _require_ me to help you later on? And then I refuse, you get pissy and barely hear me out, barely grant Konan and Nagato their lives – what next, you going to forbid me from _drawing Madara out?_ I admit, it’s a dangerous plan. But it’s why I have _several_ contingencies, most of which require Konan, Nagato, or a man who can do what I need of him, no questions asked! I’m _ending_ this long, shitty war with my short, shitty life! The _least_ you can do is honor my request, as family!”

The legendary Uzumaki temper flaring to life was a surprise to all.

“We’re not really related, Naruto,” Tsunade began.

“Yes, we are,” Naruto snapped. “Senju Takahana had a Namikaze mistress or wife or _whatever_ at one point, they had babies and I’m here now. We’re _related,_ and this is the _only_ time I’m going to use that excuse. This _isn’t_ my home anymore, Hokage-sama. The least you could do is _let me go_ with what family I have left – and what family she has left,” Naruto nodded to Konan, who was surprised at her own inclusion. “If I come back…”

Tsunade swallowed, shutting her eyes.

“Take them and go,” she whispered.

~:~

Renato eyed the two in the deserted apartment.

“You really think these two can help?”

The redhead glared at Renato, drinking his water. The blunette sighed.

“We are powerful in our own rights,” she said, her voice soft and melodic. “Naruto does know a little of our family heritage, Nagato knows it better. Nagato and Naruto together can defeat Madara.”

Nagato set his drink down.

“Skull, Konan. Apparently, he had to change _everything_ about himself, including his name.” Nagato’s voice is a baritone, surprisingly deep for someone so week.

“Forgive me,” Konan backed down.

Skull slammed the door shut.

“Ye gods above, it’s like a sauna out there!” He brandished pizza boxes. “I brought another kind of food – _pizza!”_

“ _Idiota_ Skull, he needs medical care,” Renato informed the purple-haired man.

“Nah, I’ve got it handled,” Skull said with a smirk, a flash of red staining his eyes.

“You have to leave the Kyuubi and the others here,” Nagato said, glancing at Skull. “Otherwise Madara will –“

“I have a plan,” Skull said, cutting Nagato off. “I have a plan, cousin. You’d do well to remember that I _always_ have a plan.”

Nagato pressed his lips together.

“Well,” Renato said, feeling mildly uncomfortable. “I will do my part. Just tell me when and where.”

He tipped his hat and vanished out the door.

~:~

It took a while for Madara to catch up to them in this world, and it was at one of Skull’s ridiculous, non-bike-related stunts that he did.

(Who could walk across a tightrope in purple leather using only his hands? Only _Skull!)_

Skull had flipped, cheered, looked in the audience while rattling out his infamous phrase, and there he was.

Madara stood in the back, eyes murderous. Or was it that Obito person?

Either way, he was there. Watching.

Skull stuttered the last words out, his eyes moving to look at a disguised Konan and Nagato, who both nodded tensely.

The stuntman forced a grin and did a backflip, suddenly not ready for this confrontation.


	20. Chapter 20

Skull walked into the building with hands up, his customary smirk on.

“Hi,” he said to the seemingly innocent secretary. “I’m here for Madara.”

He expected it. The hustle and bustle of the room vanished, Naruto crashing through marble.

He coughed from the pain of smashing through solid rock. For some reason Madara let him stand and turn.

The man he was so scared of walked forward, another man appearing and looking discomfited.

“So you’re working with him,” Naruto said, gazing directly at Obito. “My father would be so ashamed of you.” Obito vanished and appeared in front of him, smacking him so hard Naruto felt his head crack as he slammed into the wall. Then he was being pushed into the rock.

“What would _you_ know of your father’s disappointment?” Obito hissed.

Naruto painfully laughed between his teeth, before he spoke again.

“Because it wasn’t Kakashi’s fault that Rin died, and you still blame him for it.”

Naruto knew the story of how Kakashi received the title ‘Friend-Killer Kakashi’, because when Sasuke had returned, Kakashi sat Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke down in the middle of a battlefield and told them the story of Nohara Rin, Uchiha Obito, and Hatake Kakashi under the tutelage of Namikaze Minato.

Naruto swallowed –

“Because he _killed her!”_

 _Not like you could actually sleep with her,_ Naruto thought before he grunted, in a bit of pain. Reborn should have been at his post by then; all he had to do was wait.

“A person who fails their mission is trash,” Naruto ground out, too low for anyone but him and Obito to hear it. “But a person who fails their comrades, who leaves them behind? They’re worse than trash.”

Obito’s grasp loosened.

“What?”

“My sensei taught me that,” Naruto gasped. “His father was reviled and took his own life, and when Kakashi came back without your comrade it was assumed he killed her.”

Obito trembled, his hands flexing on Naruto’s neck.

“What is taking so long?” Madara questioned. “Steal his chakra!”

“What happened?” Obito whispered to Naruto. “Why did Rin die?”

“Because she loved the damn village that’s screwed everyone in this room a dozen times over,” Naruto replied in that same whisper. “Because she thought Konoha would be better if it stood. She jumped in front of Kakashi’s _Chidori.”_

Obito seemed to pause. “This isn’t enough to erase everything your father has done to me.”

“If you help me defeat Madara, doing it won’t make up for what you’ve done to _me,”_ Naruto replied harshly.

Obito released his neck.

Naruto whirled and dragged his shinobi form to join this one.

It was easier.

He could feel the fluidity, feel the chakra melt together with his Flames.

And that was odd.

He could feel his Flames.

Naruto spared no more time, launching himself to attack Madara.

Madara’s eyes widened as Obito appeared behind him.

Honestly, since Naruto literally had nothing to lose – not the bijuu, because Naruto had temporarily given them a clone, and not his life because Naruto wasn’t scared of dying anymore – Madara didn’t really scare him now as Madara had his fifteen-year-old self.

Obito separated Madara’s arms from Madara’s body; Naruto vanished from in front of the living legend and appeared in front of Obito. With an anticlimactic _crack,_ Madara fell to the ground.

Naruto flipped over his body and looked over the bloody mess.

“It’s over,” Obito whispered before collapsing.

Naruto jumped up, alarmed as only one heart remained to beat in the place.

“Obito? _Obito?”_ He felt for a pulse but found none. He ripped off the mask – but nothing.

~:~

Skull walked out of the building, alone and hours after noise had ceased.

He looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

Renato stepped with the other, keeping up the silence.

“How?” Renato uttered.

“Rather anticlimactic, actually,” Skull said, seeming to want to keep himself upbeat. “I have to submit myself to the Kages for scrutiny in three days.”

He swallowed.

“All of whom elected to sentence me to death.”

Renato’s eyes widened. “Wait, so it wasn’t –“

“I’ll tell you the whole story,” Skull said, slumping. “I decided to stop Madara from eradicating the world, but nobody was on board with _how_ I was doing it. Or the _why._ I had the support of my friends, and _my_ Hokage, but I had to get permission from _all_ five Kages and the leader of the samurai army.” Skull hunched down. “I had a chance, I saw it, I took it. I didn’t have a choice, otherwise the _world_ would have been ended.” Skull took a deep breath. “I told my friend Gaara – one who hadn’t _hated_ the idea, and that was seemingly open. It was a ploy, because when I returned to Konoha after my first ANBU mission, I was called to the council chambers.”

Skull paused, and in one fluid moment, in the middle of the abandoned road, took his jacket and shirt off.

The scar met Renato’s eyes, and Renato glanced down at the spiral tattoo, but then he looked at the scar, finally getting an answer.

“They sentenced me, bound me, and forced my best friend to shove lightning through my chest.” Skull closed his eyes and a muscle in his jaw jumped.

“You’re not going alone,” Renato said darkly.

Skull smiled, but it was a tired one. “You don’t need to pretend to care, Reborn.”

“That’s the damn problem, _idiota,”_ Renato ground out. “You’ve grown on me. And I’m not letting you get your ass killed forever. Unless _I’m_ the one to kill you.”

The shadow of a smile met Renato’s eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was THINKING of maybe making Skull the grandfather of Kagome from Inuyasha, but... Like, he wouldn't even know it for a looong time. Thoughts? If not, it's just a crazy idea and I'm really supposed to be sleeping because I have work in the morning but I'm not, soooo...


	21. Chapter 21

Tsunade opened the door.

Naruto and Reborn – whoever he was to Naruto – entered the chamber, Naruto’s visage clear and unhidden.

The gasp of the council _and_ the Kages was heard.

“Before you fling accusations to Tsunade, I _did_ die,” Naruto said, his voice bored. “She simply neglected to inform you of the fact I crawled out of my grave and didn’t return. I’m a Renfield and he’s my Dracula.”

The man glared at Naruto. “Don’t _ever_ compare me to that –“

“Okay, sorry!” Naruto laughed, cutting him off. “But in all seriousness, Hokage-sama, I only report to you.”

“And you say Tsunade-dono had no knowledge of your survival?” Gaara inquired.

Naruto smiled. “I was born in this village. I owe my Kage for the years I loyally served her.”

Tsunade nearly winced as Reborn tilted his hat down.

“That being said,” Terumi Mei said, “how did you kill Madara and Obito?”

“I snapped Madara’s neck, and Obito just kinda collapsed,” Naruto said with that unusual smile. “Of course, Obito kinda helped me kill Madara by separating his arms from his body.”

Whispers grew.

“I know it seems unlikely, but it’s true. Reborn can attest to that,” Naruto said.

“I can only say I saw Naruto snap the guy’s neck,” Reborn said as attention moved to him.

“How can we be certain of this?” The new Iwa Kage, Kurotsuchi, asked.

“You can’t,” Tsunade spoke up. “You’ll have to trust him –“

“The last time we did, he went ahead and went against our direct decree,” Gaara said, his teal eyes glaring at Tsunade.

Tsunade scoffed. “As if anyone but me has a say in what happens to my shinobi. You all went behind my back and created a criminal trial for something I gave permission for. You left me out of it, called _my_ damn council in – which is an _advisory_ council, at best! – and sentenced my _best_ shinobi to death for one of _my_ orders.” Tsunade knew she was taking a risk – Naruto had gone to her _after_ the fact and told her what had happened, but Tsunade had reluctantly agreed the risk of Madara outweighed the risk that Naruto might explode from the combined force of the bijuu in his body. “A shinobi who died without honors because you thought you knew best. I will say this once. Uzumaki Naruto is absolved of any crime perceived by you, as you are _not_ the ruling Kage of this country!”

“That could change,” Gaara observed.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the only other surviving jinchuuriki.

“Then let’s take it to the Daimyo,” Tsunade challenged.

Naruto snorted. “Oh, yeah, the _civilian_ Daimyo who elected _Danzou_ as Kage for two weeks. Brilliant idea.” He took another step in front of the assembly. “None of the bijuu are coming back.”

The dead silence that sentence generated seemed to also generate a simmering boil to everyone’s tempers.

“They’re not?” Gaara asked, seeming tense.

“No, they’re not,” Naruto responded, all friendliness vanishing. “You’ve used them like they were weapons all this time. I’m not allowing that.”

“Who are _you_ to –“ Ay began, only for Naruto to extend his left hand and show them the symbol of the Sun; it shimmered and vanished, indicating he had a _genjutsu_ on it.

“I am the reincarnation of Otsutsuki Asura, the second son of the Sage of Six Paths,” the man in front of them calmly explained. “When I died, I was given a ton of information from a dude with archaic grammar skills, but the point is, Indra and I – _Sasuke_ and I – protect this village with our lives. If you all recall, _I_ don’t break my promise to bring Sasuke back. _I_ promised the bijuu in this life that I’m not going to use them like every jinchuuriki before them. _I_ will ask for their protection, and I will protect them from becoming the monster Madara was trying to create.” Naruto let his hand drop. “I won’t ask them for power in return; I will respect them, treat them as my family. I have been ordered by the Rikudo Sennin to do so, to protect them. Even if I had not, I would do it.”

Tsunade sniffled a little.

_Jiraiya, you would be so proud of Naruto._

“Wow,” Reborn said, breaking the silence. “You’re less of an idiot than I thought. More naïve, but one can’t win everything.”

Naruto turned to Reborn. “Fuck you!”

“I think you wish for _me_ to fuck _you,”_ Reborn announced calmly.

Naruto turned bright red. “ _Reborn,_ I’m not a –“

“I never said you were,” Reborn said, moving his hat down again. “You hadn’t had sex until you slept – then _married_ – the Cielo Stellato donna. Honestly, you’re only easy when you’re drugged.”

“I could _feel_ that she drugged me, asshole!” Naruto looked ready to die. “Agh!” he shook his head and dropped his head in mortification. “These are the most powerful ninja in the world, Reborn! My sex life should _not_ be something that is laid out!”

“You’re _married?”_ Tsunade finally choked out.

“With kids on the way,” Reborn smirked.

“ _Who will not have Uzumaki chakra,”_ Naruto snapped, startling Tsunade with red eyes – until she saw the looks on the council’s faces. “Chakra seems to be over-write-able in the DNA where I live right now; I’ve had assurances that no child of mine – nor any of my line from my wife – no chakra will exist. Therefore, no Uzumaki clan will reappear.”

The council looked annoyed.

“Is this stupid thing over yet? I’m bored and I wanna go out to eat pizza,” Naruto said after a long moment of silence that stretched on.

“Ye-“

“No.” Kurotsuchi’s eyes were dark. “If the knowledge went out that you’re still alive, we’ll be –“

The council doors burst open.

(Inwardly, Tsunade was really pleased at the supposed ‘incompetence’ of the ANBU guarding the doors. Those were conveniently the _same_ ANBU present during Naruto’s journey through the mirror.)

Akamaru leaped in, Kiba yelling after him – it didn’t take long for half the shinobi that were assigned to look after Akamaru (again, conveniently all Naruto’s friends) to follow.

Akamaru leaped on Naruto, who yelped and disappeared under the tackle of his friends.

Reborn just looked annoyed.

~:~

(An hour previous)

Sakura slammed the door to hers and her husband’s home.

“Kiba! I need a favor from you!” she yelled, knowing Kiba was around. The Hokage had told them that Naruto was coming back to face the Kage Council, but they should enter at the last possible moment just in case the Kages tried to fuck with them.

“What?!” Kiba demanded, trying to beat Sasuke in a shogi game.

Sakura bent over, catching her breath.

“He’s nearly here,” Sakura told him, heart beating. “I need Akamaru to start running around the village.”

“Think you can do that for an hour, buddy?” Kiba asked his fanged partner.

Akamaru growled.

“I _know,_ buddy. But it’s so Naruto –“

Akamaru jumped up at Naruto’s name and ran out.

“Remember,” Sakura said, stopping Kiba for a moment to give Akamaru a moment. “ _Act surprised.”_

~:~

“A hero? _Him?”_

Ayame heard whispers from outside as she swept the Ichiraku stand, her father behind the counter as she did so.

The bell tinkled, laughter meeting her ears as the front paper was moved aside.

Ayame turned and smiled, beginning the greeting.

“Hello, welcome to – _Naruto?”_

She dropped her broom. The tall shinobi with blonde hair and blue eyes and those whisker marks sped forward, catching it for her and grinned.

“Yo, Ayame-chan,” he greeted. “Been a while.”

He was hesitant. Ayame threw herself on him, careful not to be too loud. Knowing his ears were sensitive, she kept her screams to herself and simply hugged the man in front of her.

She removed herself from him. “First two bowls of yours are on the house, Naruto,” she promised him, glancing at her father apologetically.

Her father only smiled.

“Ah, I think I only want one,” Naruto said with a sheepish smile. “My stomach’s kinda shrunk a lot.”

Ayame smiled. “Well, then it’s covered.”

~:~

“-and you can stay at my place,” Sakura said, smiling at the night sky, only to frown at the silence.

She turned to look at him. He looked guilty.

“You’re not staying.” Sasuke’s voice was quiet.

“I can’t.” Naruto chuckled. “I have a wife, you know. I’ve got mini-mes on the way.” He paused. “More than that… I can’t live here. I don’t think I could, not when people didn’t believe in my father’s power.” He paused. “I can visit. I should, I guess. If you ever need my help, just ask Tsunade where I am.”

Sakura smiled warmly. “Then I will see you.”

“See you, usuratonkachi.” Sasuke gave him a measured look. “And I want a match next time you come around.”

“See you,” Naruto smiled half-heartedly, before turning and walking away from them.

“I wonder,” Sakura began, “if it has anything to do with the man Tsunade-sama took back to her office after that session?”

Sasuke smirked. “Of _course_ it is. The usuratonkachi is in lust for that man.”

~:~

“Sorry I haven’t been around much, Mariella,” Skull said, apologizing to the women in his home, but really just Mariella right then. Mariella shook her head with a smile.

“It is me that has to apologize, Skull,” she said, bowing her head. “I have been a burden to you and your kindness.”

“No, you haven’t,” Skull denied, kneeling to her. “I promise I’ll make it up to you. Just tell me one thing.”

He adopted a serious expression as she looked up, looking worried.

“Yes?” she asked.

“Do you like vanilla or chocolate ice cream? I’m partial to chocolate, myself.”

She blinked at him. “What?” she asked blankly.

“Ice cream!” Skull held out the convenience store ice cream. “I _was_ in the mood for pizza, but I got ice cream instead. It’s melting and I forgot I didn’t have a freezer.”

“Vanilla, then.” Mariella smiled. “Do you want me to save some for Elena and Aurore?”

Skull shook his head. “Nah, if they ain’t out here then they don’t get any.”

He opened the container of vanilla and handed it to Mariella.

“Want to watch a movie?” He moved to get a couple spoons from the kitchen. “I only have a few movies – American, Disney.” He held up _Cinderella._

Mariella nodded and settled in to watch the English version of the movie.

She couldn’t understand a word of English, or read animated lips.

Neither could Skull, it seemed, because he looked mildly confused.

“The sound _should_ be on,” he murmured, walking over to the TV and pushing the button up several times.

Nothing.

“Well, shit,” Skull scowled. “I guess we’re going to have to make up the story. You first.”

Mariella blinked and licked her spoon.


	22. Chapter 22

Skull walked through the building as a mousy-haired brunette, having gotten files from this underground association that she’d infiltrated three weeks ago.

She saw the doors and breathed, quickening her step.

“Hey, Amber!”

‘Amber’ turned with a smile on her face. A man with dark hair, a man she’d been dating on the side, jogged up to her. The crest of the Notte Oscura was on his lapel, easily hidden.

“Yes?” she asked with that same patented smile.

The man sighed. “I need those files, Amber.”

His friendly persona vanished.

Amber tilted her head, the ditzy persona firmly ‘on’. “These files? _Signore_ Bellucci asked me for these files two hours ago!” She left her worry surface. “He’s going to fire me if I’m late, and I’m getting close to the time I’m supposed to be there!” She gave a nervous glance to the clock, not entirely faked.

 _Signore_ Bellucci, high-class man who was involved in the top workings of the Notte Oscura. If she could get the files she was holding out of the building, the Vongola would pay her a hefty price for them.

Not even _this_ man would cross _Signore_ Bellucci.

Her boyfriend paled. “Sorry, Amber. Didn’t know!”

He backed away, and Amber glanced at the clock before gasping.

“I have to go! I’m going to be _late!”_

Amber Carrella made her last exit and vanished from the face of the Earth.

~:~

Skull handed the files to the Ninth Vongola Boss before making his exit, nodding briefly to Coyote before leaving the mansion to have the rest of the night off; well, to the _Ninth,_ that’s what he was doing. In reality, he was going through the mirror.

He slid into Tsunade’s office, resealing the mirror in the stone, and jumped out the deserted office’s window. If anyone spotted him on Konoha’s wall, they said nothing.

Naruto flickered as fast as he could to the Land of Ogres; it took him three hours along just to get there, another half hour to get to the spot he needed to be.

He gently set fire lilies on their shared grave.

Ryuuzetsu had no body left after giving Naruto what was left of her life force, and Shion’s body was eradicated with the sheer spiritual chakra that had flooded Moryo’s Cavern.

Naruto had searched for six days before he was forced to give up; Moryo was completely gone and there wasn’t anything that could be done.

Ryuuzetsu had an official grave in the Land of Grass, but Naruto didn’t want to step on Ryuuzetsu’s sacred clan grounds without permission. And, of course, Shion had her own grave, but that was the priestess’ gravesite and not something for normal people like him to step on.

He sat down and watched the sun start to peek over the edge.

When the sun had lifted completely over the world, Naruto started to flicker back home before stopping and changing directions.

He had one last thing to deal with, and this was something only Turtle Island could help with.

~:~

Ay blinked and stopped talking at the presence in the room, a presence that had just appeared there.

“Well?” he asked after a moment of silence. People glanced at each other in wariness – _who was their Raikage-sama talking to? –_ “Boy, I don’t play games with you!”

“Sorry.”

Everyone was on the defensive as they stared at Naruto, their weapons dipping as they recognized him.

“Turtle Island?” Naruto asked, still looking out the window and not returning.

“Thought you knew.”

“I know that it was only such a voyage because you all thought I couldn’t handle the Kyuubi.” Naruto sounded bored. “There’s a personal matter I have to speak with an armadillo about.”

Ay sweatdropped. _The lady armadillo or the male armadillo?_

“In the ocean somewhere. You should be able to find it, using one of those hostages of yours.”

Naruto moved, so fast that Ay couldn’t twitch a muscle. Naruto was inches away from his face, dark sapphire eyes glaring at him. Markings like fire burned at the corner of his eyes.

 **“Don’t forget,”** the Niibi growled. **“ _You_ sacrificed my Yugito. This is _my choice!”_**

Naruto vanished, an acrid stench of fire hanging in the air.

~:~

Naruto sat in the room designed to hold Gyuki – a room barely able to hold Kurama, and closed his eyes.

He stood in his mindscape, the Juubi staring at him from its only eye. He readied himself for battle, but the Juubi sat still.

 **“You should know the full story,”** The Juubi rumbled without moving a muscle. **“Will you allow me to show you, Uzumaki Naruto?”**

“Why are you so complacent?” Naruto asked suspiciously.

 **“If Madara had succeded in forcing me to appear in the material world, you would be fucked,”** the Juubi said bluntly. **“For the truth is, I was only angered at the prospect of _her_ rising again.” **

Naruto opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, one of the Juubi’s arms had grabbed him.

Chakra attacked him, making him feel like he was being ripped apart in a million ways.

In the material world, burns appeared where the Juubi touched him.

Naruto went limp in both worlds, visions searing themselves in his head. Knowledge of a future with Kaguya appearing – a burned-out land, a friendship shattering, and arms separated.

 **“For protecting me, I give you the gift to see others that need your protection,”** proclaimed the Juubi out of Naruto’s hearing.

The ninja remained unconscious.

**“And lastly, Skull and Naruto will be the same.”**

The Bijuu vanished.

~:~

Skull cracked his eyes open.

Mariella sat in the hospital, reading a magazine; Elena sat across from her, knitting something.

Despite feeling like shit moments ago, Skull felt a hell of a lot better.

“Wha?” His sound jerked Mariella’s attention. Skull sat up, but heard Matatabi talking to him.

 **The fucking Juubi-kara** (husk) **took over your body and shoved it through the portal… You were already on the way to the hospital, though, hooked up to life support.**

Skull grimaced. _I hate hospitals._

He tuned in to Mariella, who was speaking to Elena.

“Maybe we should just leave – I don’t think he wants us in here.”

“I do.” Skull stood up. “But get out, all the same. We’re leaving.”

They walked to the door, but Skull stopped them, hearing voices in the hall talking about _that weird purple-haired guy._

“Nope, not out this way!”

“Skull, we’re on the _third floor,”_ Elena deadpanned – only to yelp as Skull swept both women into his arms and _leaped out the window._

Elena and Mariella let out identical shrieks as they landed. Skull laughed a little.

“Wow, I didn’t realize that speaking to that _kara-teme_ would be so… freeing!” He jumped again, still with a firm, if slightly awkward, hold on Elena and Mariella.

~:~

“ _Padre,_ are _madre_ and Mariella part of an harem?”

Aurore’s serious question made Skull choke on his pancakes. Mariella paused, a fork hovering near her mouth.

Elena facepalmed.

“No,” Skull said after clearing his throat. “I’m not interested in Elena or Mariella that way.”

Aurore eyed him a moment longer.

“If you say so.”

“Harems are kinda too much work,” Skull said, explaining himself further. “See, I’d need to pay attention to Mariella and Elena equally, and while I do try I have a lot more on my plate.” Skull set his fork down. “Besides, I’m not really interested in Elena or Mariella. They’re too scary!”

Aurore giggled at her mother and Mariella bearing down on him from behind with terrifying expressions.

~:~

Renato opened the door, readying himself for another job.

Only to be struck mute at the sight of an annoyed-looking Skull holding a ceramic dish. An aroma flowed from the dish indicating it was brownies.

“Elena said they’re for you,” the stuntman said, shoving them at his chest.

Renato caught them.

“You came back.”

The stuntman blinked at him. “’Course I did. I made a promise to Sofia.” The stuntman hesitated. “And… I really wanted to stay here. I mean, of course I’ll go back on occasion, but there’s no way in seven hells I’m _staying_ there!”

Renato hummed. “Is that the only reason?” he idly wondered.

“Yep,” the stuntman said succinctly… Before his eyes widened. “Oh! I keep forgetting to ask you. Someone gave me this – it’s a magical truth serum – and I wanted to see if it were possible to get used to it. If you could get some more, maybe you and I could have a question and answer session?”

Renato looked down at the clearly labeled truth serum. _Veritaserum._

“Should be easy. I’ll let you know when I have some.” He paused. “You’ll be drinking it, right?”

“Yep!” Skull said perkily. “Thanks, Reborn!”

Reborn watched the stuntman walk away. He’d have to make sure the brownies weren’t poisonous… Or maybe he’d give them to his target…

Don Scusio _did_ have a sweet tooth.


	23. Chapter 23

A man walked up to the apartment. He was to kill Mariella Corona; it didn’t matter that she was only a maid in a famiglia opposite his. His _dearest_ sister had to die. Orders from higher up had told him to.

Matteo Corona slammed the door open.

Seeing the group freeze, Matteo aimed his gun at Mariella.

He shot – only to gasp as the bullet was suddenly in the hands of the red-eyed Skull – _the civilian_ stuntman. The red eyes moved from the bullet to Matteo, and Matteo suddenly regretted everything.

The demon stuntman – because he _had_ to be a demon, _nobody_ could move that fast – prowled towards him.

“Who are you?” the man demanded.

“He’s my brother,” Mariella said, eyes wide and scared.

“And your killer!” Matteo lunged.

A blow to his stomach sent him flying back, to hit the wall. Matteo slumped, dazed.

“Skull, please don’t –“

“I’m not going to kill him,” the man said, flicking his eyes towards Mariella. “But he deserves at least a _punch._ He broke my door!”

“If you’re not going to kill him, what are you going to do?” asked an unfamiliar woman, glaring at Matteo and holding a girl close.

“Erase his memory,” Skull answered promptly.

Matteo attempted to get up. Skull walked up as Matteo moved forward, his eyes changing. One dropped closed while the other remained open, changing into an eye with a red sclera and a yellow pupil.

“Erase his memory?” Mariella asked, looking confused.

**“More like change the events of when he was ordered to kill you. Family is family.”**

Matteo closed his eyes as Skull reached out to touch his head.

~:~

“It’s more like Sanbi uses his manipulation of _genjutsu_ – illusion – to make events different in the mind of Matteo,” Skull said honestly. “If Matteo regains his memories, it’ll be like looking at a spreadsheet of facts. No emotion.”

A chill spread over Skull’s body, and he sat down.

“Skull, are you okay?”

Skull shook his head. “F-fine.” He felt sick. He had never asked Isobu to use this power – this was most likely a side effect.

 **It is,** Matatabi said gently. **Your body isn’t exactly meant to channel all of our powers.**

No, it wasn’t.

**It seems like your Flames are protecting your chakra, not hindering it or fighting it. That in itself is quite a good thing.**

Skull swallowed nervously and hid his shaking hands.

~:~

Matteo and Mariella got along after Matteo had regained consciousness, adding another fun part to Skull’s week. However, his mood plummeted when Joker, the knife-thrower, appeared at his apartment.

Most of the circus kept to themselves when the circus closed for the season, so it was rare that one knew the address of one of the members. Joker was one of the first-tier and Skull was one of the second-tier; Joker knew a lot about the prospective first tier.

Skull eyed the orange-haired man. Joker reminded Skull of Shikamaru… if Shikamaru were orange-haired and had an almost supernatural ability with throwing knives.

“Yo!” Joker smiled, inviting himself in the trashy apartment. “Got yourself a harem, Skull-kun?”

Joker, while being from England, traveled _everywhere_ in the world when the second-tier and third-tier performers were enjoying the closed season.

“No,” Skull said shortly, dreading what the first-tier had to say. If he was going to lose his job-!

“You’re being promoted! You’ll be joining us in Japan!”

_What._

“What?” Skull asked blankly. “But… I’m a second-tier…”

“I thought you were a first tier, _fratello,”_ Mariella said. Skull had reluctantly allowed her and Matteo to call him ‘brother’, despite not being a blood relative.

“No, I just get good paychecks because people like coming to my shows!” Skull replied. “I do _motorcycle_ stunts that are apparently _too dangerous._ I get good money off of them because I may get injured badly but I don’t die!”

Joker laughed. “And we want to spice it up! You’ll be coordinating with Wendy, Peter, and Doll.”

Skull took a deep breath. “I need five minutes.”

He walked out of the room, picking up the phone as he left.

“Hello? Hey, Konan… I was wondering, you in town?”

“So, Skull was only a second-tier performer?” Aurore asked with interest.

“One of the best,” Joker smiled. “We have acrobats in the first tier – that’s who Skull will be paired with for now – but really, we may need a stuntman. It’s not set in stone, of course; Skull’s area is mostly motorcycle-inclined, and Wendy and Peter are still a bit leery, but the showmaster has agreed Skull is _definitely_ a first-tier member. So, here we are.”

Skull walked into the room, tossing the phone on the coffee table with a loud clatter. “Nagato and Konan will be staying here to protect you guys.” He motioned towards Elena, Aurore, and Mariella. Mariella’s eyes went to her brother’s head, and Skull nodded shortly, turning to Joker. “I’ve recently had some people trying to kill me. Mind if Matteo comes along to ensure that doesn’t happen?”

“No problem,” Joker smiled. “As long as it comes out of _your_ pay.”

Matteo blinked. “I don’t have a passport.”

“Don’t worry,” Skull said with a smile, putting his arm around Matteo’s shoulder. “We’ll get you one, nice and quick.”

~:~

“Cut to the chase,” a feminine voice said, cutting through the meeting. Eyes moved to the leader in the chair. “Is everything going to plan _exactly?”_

“Indeed. Donna Sofia is almost ready to give birth. We plan to give the announcement of the tragic loss of her life… Five hours after?”

“Make it ten,” the woman instructed.

“And, Donna Nero? What about on your end?”

“I have prepared Sofia di Cielo Stellato about her death that it should come to no surprise to her that it is her own Sun that takes her children. I am, however, concerned about the… Inability to access anything pertaining to Skull de Mort about that scene. I cannot… See his actions.”

That greatly disturbed the so-called prophetess.

More than that, she didn’t quite know _what_ Skull was. He wasn’t exactly human, and Kawahira didn’t seem to have too much trouble with the other. In fact, the Man in the Iron Hat seemed to be off watching Skull most days.

Sure, the donna of the Cielo Stellato had indeed picked the man that Luce had seen with her ability to see the future, and the donna of the Giglio Nero knew exactly what to say to her to reassure the donna, but…

Skull de Mort was seen discovering a dying Sofia before one of Luce’s contacts killed her. But other than that, his future was a blank, a mystery.

Luce’s eyes darkened. He was going to be one of the I Precelti Sette, yes. And an arcobaleno, like Luce.

She dismissed the meeting with a flick of her hand, her eyes staring at the wood of her desk, in deep thought.


	24. Chapter 24

Skull hurried to the phone, taking it up and then yelling to Joker.

“Oi, Joker! My wife in Italy is about to give birth! I’ve gotta go!”

Joker’s mouth dropped open. “You’re _married?”_

“It was a nine-month marriage!” he called hurriedly.

Joker just stared at him. “You… You married her because she’s carrying _your_ baby?”

Skull thought about it. “Yeah, pretty much.”

Joker sweatdropped. “What else? You actually have a wife in another country?” He laughed until he saw Skull’s thoughtful face.

“ _Technically_ speaking, Xia-He is dead,” Skull said bluntly.

~:~

Skull shoved through the room. When he’d seen the dead bodies, he’d known that his children were long gone.

His heart jumped in his throat as he saw her.

“Sofia,” he said, falling to his knees with a loud _thump._ She was laying on the ground, several stab wounds in her stomach. “Sofia –“

Sofia lifted a trembling hand. “ _Shh._ Don’t apologize, my friend. I used you. I am sorry that I do not feel sorry – this needed to happen.” Sofia let out a breath. “Come closer.”

Skull leaned closer.

“ _Luce di Giglio Nero told me,”_ Sofia breathed, _“that a man with powerful Cloud Flames will give me a set of heirs that are entirely mine. No transfer of the man’s DNA would occur.”_ She took a deep breath. _“She also said that if… If you go to her, she can tell you exactly where they’ll be in eighteen years.”_

Sofia di Cielo Stellato slumped, dead. There was no dramatic exhalation, no… Drama.

Her eyes sightlessly stared up at the ceiling.

~:~

Renato put away his gun, not needing it anymore. The look of Skull’s face… It sent a churning through Renato’s gut. Not that Renato cared that he was killing someone, just as soon as he was going to pull that trigger, the feel of Skull’s Flames flaring in distress caught him by surprise.

Since, technically speaking, the Cielo Stellato was a mafia group, Skull would be the next to take the mantle of don. He had mixed feelings about it – mostly because his assassinations were usually the heads of famiglias or their heirs.

He dismissed the thought, pushing it firmly out of his mind. The damn scientist better have made a better bullet for his gun in case he _did_ need to permanently kill Skull.

 _It wouldn’t be personal,_ Renato firmly reminded himself. It had nothing to do with personal feelings.

_Nothing._

~:~

After the funeral, Skull got drunk.

It was _hard_ to get himself drunk.

Not, apparently, if you were so dazed you accidentally boarded a plane to _China_ and tried their vodka. Potent. Less potent than the Hokage’s quality stash, but potent enough to get him wasted after a few bottles.

He’d called Joker before he’d boarded the plane, informing him he was getting trashed because his wife was just horribly murdered. Skull really didn’t know what he was saying to Joker about _how_ Sofia got murdered, all he knew some of the passengers were covering their childrens’ ears.

So there he was, in a seedy liquor joint, getting trashed.

“Having fun?” The voice of one of the two men in his life that _knew_ he had a form of immortality _purred_ in his ears.

“Not really,” Skull said, dropping his head on the table. “Grieving, you know… My wife just died.”

“Which one?”

Skull sighed heavily. “The one you didn’t kill.”

He turned to face the Chinese assassin.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, from Xia-He,” Skull informed him mildly. “She thinks you’re an inspiration and wanted to become an assassin… Before she realized she wasn’t _that_ kind of girl.”

“Oh?” Fon laughed a little. “I’d like to think I’m not an _inspiration_.”

Skull eyed him.

“Well, having been in the company of a whole village full of killers with strange habits… I gotta say, you’re not weird.” Skull threw back the rest of the bottle, slammed it on the counter and watched the bottle shatter. “Whoops. Put it on m’tab, madam,” Skull slurred, sliding a ton of euros on the table.

The woman’s eyes shot up, but she took them.

~:~

Skull woke up without a headache, with an assassin sleeping next to him.

Aaaaand… _Both_ were naked.

“I wonder if we actually had sex,” Skull mused before getting up, yawning and stretching and gathering his clothes up. Fresh sets were on a chair – one was a woman’s dress, a qipao, if Skull recalled his study on cultures correctly.

He shrugged internally as he changed into a woman and slipped into the dress.

“If I had not seen you do that, I would have thought you a different person and a keen assassin,” Fon informed him.

Skull smirked. “Ah, you know… I knew you were awake.” His heartbeat. Shinobi had keener ears than most civilians, from centuries of war and fighting the other. Some shinobi were tricked by their senses, some did the trick- _ing._ Skull had ears even better than an Inuzuka’s thanks to his original Kyuubi senses – senses that were a thousand times more sensitive now that he had _nine_ bijuu in his head and only toned down because Skull had trained himself at the beginning to automatically stuff chakra in his ears, like an invisible set of earplugs.

Fon raised an arched brow, not looking like he believed him.

“Are you leaving?”

“Not until I get you some pain meds,” Skull said, dimly recalling that the other man had smelled a bit like alcohol.

“ _You_ should have the mother of all hangovers. I’m quite shocked you didn’t,” deadpanned the assassin.

“I have a great pain tolerance,” lied Skull with a smile.

~:~

After ditching the assassin at the gate terminal, Skull boarded a flight to Japan.

“You’re a pretty woman,” a sleezy-looking man said in English. “Want to step into the bathroom and –“

Skull turned halfway in her seat, lowering her shades and staring at him with pissed eyes.

“Look,” she said darkly, in a voice _promising_ she’d happily toss him out the side of the plane, “if you so much as _speak_ to me on this flight, or insinuate that I want to fuck you, I will toss you through this damn plane with no. Qualms. At. All.”

The man swallowed and sat back.

_I hate airplanes._

**Your fault for even _going_ to China in the first place. Honestly!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why Skull went to China: to him, it seemed like a good idea to get away from everything... and he wanted to get drunk. He had zero intention of meeting Fon there, it literally just happened.  
> (AKA I didn't really mean for Fon to appear.)


	25. Chapter 25

Skull was in a slump, barely responding to crowds when he did his stunts. He drank, like he did when Shion and then Ryuuzetsu died. This time, there was no miraculous appearance of his brother in soul; no talk to keep him from drowning in his sadness, and no man to fight with on a daily basis to keep his mind off of it.

Sure, he didn’t know Sofia all that well – barely saw her all the time he was in Italy, but by the gods! He _did_ care that she was having his children.

He took death hard, it seemed, with people he knew.

He took a breath, staring at the sake this world had.

Maybe… Maybe it was time to ask permission from the Dragon Clan to visit Ryuuzetsu’s official grave.

~:~

“A letter from the tree-hugger village?” Kazoku Hinata scowled at the letter. She ripped open the letter with a sharp nail.

_Kazoku Hinata,_

_My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I knew Kazoku Ryuuzetsu. She used your clan jutsu to save my life at Hozuki-jo. I wanted to formally request to visit Ryuuzetsu’s official grave. I have to admit I made a grave for her in the Land of Ogres, alongside the unofficial grave of the Priestess Shion. Please allow me to visit her grave, for though I did not know her long, Ryuuzetsu and I both infiltrated Hozuki-jo for a similar purpose, and she_ did _give her life for mine. I did not ask sooner because I thought it wasn’t a good idea._

_Please, let me pay my respects._

_Uzumaki Naruto_

Hinata hummed to herself.

~:~

“This bullet should kill anything,” Verde said, sounding bored. “Anything with a heartbeat.”

Renato tossed the bullet up, then tucked it in a pocket.

The bullet might not work. Even so… Renato tucked the bullet in his pocket. He had an appointment to keep with the man in question, even if said person didn’t know it yet.

Stepping out of Verde’s lab into the Japanese summer made him grimace. It was humid. Japan’s summers were not the kind he enjoyed.

He hailed a cab, spoke the address of the circus, and slipped into the circus with ease.

Entering Skull’s trailer, he grimaced.

“This is disgusting,” he said, bluntly.

Skull paused in picking up the bottles. “Go fuck yourself,” he snarled at Renato, looking worse for wear. “Tsunade’s coming.”

“Hm. When?”

“I don’t _know!”_ Skull’s irritation was visible in the air. “She just said she’d come by my place, see how this world was treating me. Gods, I need some Uzumaki luck!”

“So…” Renato raised an eyebrow. “You decided to clean? Not that I’m complaining, I’m honestly just wondering why the hell you have so many sake bottles on your floor. And why you went to China for two days and then came back here.”

“Because _apparently_ I enjoy sleeping with random people,” Skull snapped at him.

“Don’t snap at me,” Renato said, choosing to bring out the bullet that _might_ kill him.

Skull deadpanned at the bullet. “Seriously? You’ve gotta be fucking with me.”

“Not at all,” Renato said coolly. “Verde, one of my associates, came up with this bullet based on your un-killability.”

“He used my blood, didn’t he.” Skull smirked, looking unafraid. “My blood cells, thanks to the Kyuubi, destroy themselves if they’re out of my body. Whatever sample you _think_ you have? Nope. Not a thing. _That_ bullet won’t permanently kill me.”

Renato sighed dramatically. “Want to test that, before the Veritaserum?”

“No,” Skull deadpanned. “I have to find the Veritaserum first. Now get out.”

Renato found himself shoved out of the small trailer, standing outside of it in the heat.

~:~

“Okay, Tsunade isn’t coming for a few hours. Let’s test it,” Skull said after letting Renato inside, handing him the Veritaserum. “Have you ever had it?”

“No, I know better than to get in the way of witches and wizards,” Renato replied. “I think you should take it. You _can_ just cut your tongue off again.”

“I won’t,” Skull promised. “As long as _you_ promise to try some and let me ask all the questions I want.”

Renato seriously thought about the answer.

“Fine,” he agreed.

Skull’s eyes widened.

“You take it now,” Renato said, tossing the truth serum to Skull.

Skull made a face, then uncorked it.

“Here goes nothing,” he sighed, carefully sipping it before corking it.

Renato plucked it out of his grasp.

Skull sat down heavily, looking like he was on drugs.

Renato went for the easiest question.

“What’s your full, real name?”

“Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto,” Skull said, the dazedness vanishing as he answered. Looked like he was a little less high, now.

“Where were you born?”

“In a cave outside Konoha.”

“Not in a hospital?” Renato knew their civilization was a little… Off, so to speak, as they didn’t have phones or anything. But no _hospital?_

“No, too dangerous for everyone in the village,” Skull answered.

Renato blinked. “Why?”

“Because the Kyuubi wasn’t exactly a huge fan of my mother,” Skull deadpanned.

“Is the Veritaserum even working?”

“Yes, but it seems to count the truth loosely,” Skull replied immediately, looking vexed.

Renato switched topics. “Do you really want me to sleep with you?”

“Yes.” Skull blushed at his answer.

“Why?”

“I think it’s your Flames, rather than your aura,” Skull answered, going a bit redder.

“Oh?” Renato smirked. “What about my Flames?”

“They make me feel safe,” Skull answered, tilting his head, the blush receding – he was refusing to be embarrassed by this conversation. Renato hummed, then got into a heavier subject.

“Did you fake your death when your friend stabbed you with lightning?”

“No.” Skull’s smile vanished as he answered, his eyes lowering. “I did _actually_ die. I didn’t lie to the Kages. I don’t –“

Renato changed the subject again. “Were you ever too involved with any of your victims?”

“I…” Skull knit his eyebrows. “No.”

“No?”

“No.” Skull shook his head. “No. None of my victims –“

“What’s your connection with that Obito fellow?”

Skull was beginning to get frustrated, Renato could tell.

“I don’t have one now, he’s dead,” Skull snapped out.

“What _was_ your connection with Obito?”

“He caused my parents’ death.”

Renato opened his mouth, but Skull overrode him.

“They died because the Kyuubi killed them. Obito may not have killed them, but he took the Kyuubi out of my mother – which, by the way, is a death sentence for jinchuuriki – when she was having me.” Skull swallowed. “Kyuubi was then controlled by Obito’s doujutsu, which is one of the only things that could control the Kyuubi. But… Kyuubi killed my parents when he saw he was going to be sealed in me – so my father sealed the Kyuubi in himself, first, then in me.” Skull closed his eyes. “And if you’re going to ask, Kyuubi is a nine-tailed fox demon made entirely out of chakra from a ten-tailed beast – funnily enough, the Juubi doesn’t _actually_ have tails, it’s more of an estimate considering that there are nine tailed beasts and Kyuu-kun received nine shards of power, Gyu-kun received eight, so on and so forth.”

“Is that one of their names?”

“Nope.”

“What are their names?”

Skull glared at him. “Like hell I’m telling you!”

Renato looked at the clock. According to his timer, even a half-dose of Veritaserum like the one Skull took should take about an hour to wear off without magical assistance.

“Lie.”

“What?” Skull frowned.

“Lie.” Renato needed to know if he could lie.

“I hate ramen,” Skull said, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, suffice to say, I’m ninety percent sure you’re no longer able to be drugged with Veritaserum.”

Skull’s right eyebrow twitched in annoyance – before he tilted his head. “Someone’s coming.”

There was a knock on the trailer’s door.

Skull opened it, too fast for Renato to track without the use of his Flames.

“Tsunade-sama!” he bowed his head to the woman outside his door.

“Apparently there’s more than one mirror,” Tsunade said, entering Skull’s home without permission.

Renato saw the flicker of irritation on Skull’s face.

“Great. Make yourself at home, why don’t you?”

Tsunade turned to him. “I’ve come to give you something, so watch your mouth,” she said, poising her flingers near his forehead. “Or do you want a repeat of what happened when we first met, brat?”

“What did you want to give me?” Skull’s question was abrupt. “And why didn’t you just chime me through the mirror? Or pass it through my mirror?”

“First of all, _you_ have to actually answer,” Tsunade pointed out. “Secondly, I can’t pass this through the mirror without warning you, because I doubt this item would be one you’d want to let out of your grasp. _And_ we’re going _back_ through the mirror together anyway because Kazoku Hinata wants to meet with you, face-to-face.”

Skull’s face went pale. “What?”

“I couldn’t get you permission to go to the priestess’ grave, unfortunately.”

The buxom blonde handed Skull the scroll she was holding gently, as though she were afraid of holding it.

Skull nodded. “I’ll go with you to meet with Hinata-dono.”

Skull looked at Renato, and he sighed. “If you insist,” he said, cocking his gun.

“ _He’s_ coming?” The irritation in the blonde caused a flash of annoyance through Renato, only to be crushed when Skull merely smiled.

“He’s handier than half your ANBU in a fight,” came the cold and unexpected reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I had an idea. I was thinking that Checkerface/Kawahira would be related to Kaguya... But Naruto wouldn't know that unless he met Kaguya. So, should he end up meeting Kaguya? It would be a short arc, and the last arc - the actual everyone-turning-into-Arcobaleno arc would happen after it. A) Kaguya happens with Skull/Naruto alone, B) Kaguya doesn't happen, or C) the soon-to-be Arcobaleno join Skull/Naruto in the chakra-centric world. It would definitely not happen like the anime of Naruto did, but the result - the sun/moon thing - kinda does. Like?


	26. Chapter 26

Lal Mirch glared at Colonello.

“I said I’m _fine!”_ she insisted, glaring at a tree. “I don’t need your help!”

She limped away from him.

“Lal!” Colonello jogged a few steps to reach her side. “I didn’t mean for you to get injured. I was only trying to help.”

Lal took a breath, then let it out in one gust. “Tch. Like I said, I don’t need your help.”

She wanted to smile a little bit, instead focusing on the jagged tear in her leg, courtesy of a hole in the ground. If she didn’t heal it soon it would draw the attention of predators, so she didn’t. She stepped into their campsite and made her way to the fire.

Colonello hovered for a moment before walking away as she got out a roll of bandages she was going to waste on a healed leg.

She murmured a spell as she wound the roll, healing a few inches at a time before tucking the end under tightly.

COMSUBIN was… Interesting, to say the least. At least she was never bored, what with Colonello constantly around.

Lal sighed, thinking about something. Or, more specifically, someone who had something that was dangerous and magical and who wasn’t exactly magical himself.

Skull had the Mirror of Mystery; not the most imaginative name, but a name that was indicative of its abilities – not even the Unspeakables at the British Ministry had learned what it was for.

To be more accurate, though, Skull had a fraction of the Mirror of Mystery. The Mirror itself was in the Veil Room in the Ministry. Though Lal hadn’t been an Unspeakable during her brief tenure at the Ministry, as the Savior she’d been privy to a _lot_ of Ministerial workings, the Department of Mysteries one of them.

That was one of the reasons she’d been undercover in the Notte Oscura Famiglia; Kingsley had found out some shady shite was happening, and she’d gone in pretty damn deep. She’d found out about Flames – Soul Magic, considered a Darke Magic, classified as such by the Department of Mysteries two years before the appearance of Voldemort. Or, more accurately, Tom Riddle.

Lal brought out a journal she’d had on her findings of the Department of Mysteries. Given that – while it was illegal then but pardoned because she’d stopped Riddle from getting a prophecy – she’d broken into the Department and had seen some of its wonders, she was given limited access.

Like Luna, the Unspeakables allowed her in the Veil Room because she could hear the voices beyond the gateway. Lal had always assumed it was because of Cedric’s death she’d heard those voices.

But she’d seen the Mirror of Mystery. It was broken in some places, round in each broken space, as though the Mirror had willingly given parts of itself up. It was a large thing and inside the brick wall – something that stunned the Unspeakables.

Kingsley had declared the room off-limits to all but the Unspeakables, but Lal had snuck in there many times.

It was a gateway. Like the Veil. If you moved closer to the Mirror you could see not your reflection but the place beyond – a brief flicker of a corpse-filled room with a swirl insignia on the stone wall. Lal had stood there for hours, never blinking, just to get a glimpse of a movement.

To find out it really _was_ a gateway, thanks to Skull, made Lal’s desire to get in there and see if she could go through it even greater.

“Lal!”

Lal snapped the journal closed and looked up, annoyed she’d been interrupted out of planning to sneak into the English Ministry of Magic.

“Captain Ornelli told us to pack it up and leave,” Colonello said, dropping her bag next to her.

“I’m going away for a while,” Lal said abruptly, standing and picking her bag up. “Tell Ornelli I’ll get back to the base on my own.”

“Oi, Mirch!” another soldier started to yell, only to freeze as Lal turned her murderous glare on him. “Never mind!” he squeaked.

Lal turned to Colonello. “Tell Ornelli.”

Colonello shakily nodded.

Lal turned and walked into the woods – and when she was all alone, she Disapparated.

~:~

“You wrote to me, expecting that your word alone would make me accept you into our sacred clan grounds,” the dragon-like woman said, her hair similar to Ryuuzetsu’s. Naruto swallowed, nervous before this woman like he’d been while explaining his shitty plan to the Kage Council. This was far more dangerous, though; a clan like Naruto’s asking permission to visit the grave of someone he shouldn’t know. “I demand proof.”

Naruto sighed to himself and nodded, standing and sliding a hand into his weapons pouch. Hinata’s gaze sharpened, her form relaxing – As Naruto brought out the object he’d searched for, Hinata tensed.

Her eyes widened in shock when she realized what he held. Naruto let the green ribbon fall from his fingers, cleaned but still showing the stain of blood.

“If I must prove to you who I am, let this be my response,” Naruto said, staring at it. “And let me say this, as head of the Uzumaki Clan – I do not come to you to demand your obedience, I come to you as a person, wanting to finally see the official gravesite for one of the few people I grew to care for on my mission.”

Hinata eyed him some more, ignoring Reborn.

“What was the name of my daughter’s lo –“

“Oh for the love of – can you just let him see -!” Reborn stopped, his lips pressing together.

Possibly because Naruto had kicked him in the shin hard enough to break it.

Naruto winced.

“Who is this?” Hinata asked imperiously, folding her arms.

“My idiot lover from another world,” Naruto said, giving Renato a glare. “He’s clanless. I brought him along because he insisted. And, to answer your question, her lover’s name was Muku.”

Hinata hummed, tapping her long nails on the table.

“I will allow you to visit her grave,” Hinata said. “But only you and your lover.”

She stood, then started towards the door. Naruto shook his head and sighed.

“Ryuuzetsu used your clan’s Kekkei Genkai to save my life,” he said, Hinata halting and her shoulders tensing. “That is a debt I could never repay.”

“If what you speak of is true,” Hinata said, turning to him, “then there is a reason you have come here other than seeing my only child’s grave. Follow me, Uzumaki; lover of the Uzumaki, you are welcome as well. Join me in my home.”

The woman imperiously swept out of the room.

Naruto relaxed, the Skull persona appearing in the form of him bitching. “Oh, geez! That took longer than I thought.”

“Politics,” Renato said distastefully. “You’re going to have that healed, right?” He pointed to his ankle.

“Give it here,” Naruto said, one of his eyes changing to a lighter blue, a patch of white spreading out from his eye.

Renato gave him his leg.

Naruto held it, a green glow surrounding his hand. Normally, Renato would have used the Active factor in his Sun Flames, but here… It seemed to not be as easy to use Flames.

“Since Gobi-chan’s power is heat-based, you might feel a bit hot while I heal it.”

Renato frowned as a question occurred to him. “Is everyone in this world unphased by sexuality?”

Naruto blinked at him. “Um, you mean like… Is everyone unphased by the fact I could be gay? Pretty much.” Naruto nodded. “I mean, Sasuke’s gay but he married Sakura because he’s, like, the last Uchiha and everything. Bloodlines matter, but I mean if Sasuke wants to pretend he’s bi, then whatever. If I decided to marry Kakashi, my former sensei, it wouldn’t surprise anyone. Since we’re both part of dying clans, then we’d have to have a baby.” Naruto blinked both eyes at him. “Ninja tend to die young, so they live life to the fullest. Civilians can’t say anything because they’re not _shinobi._ Our lifespans… They’re not exactly _expected_ to last into old age. Many bloodlines have died out or have been perverted by intermarriage – partially the reason most Uchiha were crazy – or have been almost entirely slaughtered.” Naruto looked sad; Renato focused on him rather than the growing heat he was feeling. “My clan is made up of three individuals. Me, Tsunade-sama, and Nagato. There was another, but _that_ crazy bitch was taken out by Madara because she was a gifted chakra sensor and healer.” Naruto made a face. “And she _salivated_ over Sasuke. _Ew.”_

“Because Sasuke’s ugly or… what?” Renato wondered. He thought, if Sasuke hadn’t been almost entirely unhinged, he could’ve been _interested._

“Nah, if he weren’t my brother in all but blood I’d _totally_ be with him,” Naruto said. “Or his brother, if he was alive. Itachi was hot. Even for a missing-nin. Anyway, no. Sakura had a monumental crush on him when we were in the same team, but when he went missing she kinda got over it. She was a fangirl,” Naruto grimaced. “Now, think of a fangirl and add ‘obsessive’ and ‘stalker’, and you’d get ninety-percent of Karin’s obsession over Sasuke when I met her.”

Renato frowned.

Naruto sighed. “Man, if I could _show_ you rather than tell, that’d be great!”

~:~

“Our family Kekkei Genkai passed along the women’s line,” Hinata told him upon his and Renato’s appearances at her home. “If a body vanishes, the tattered remains of our Kekkei Genkai are passed to the one it was used on.” She took out a scroll and handed it to him. “The only account of such a thing is someone who survived fatal accidents.”

“Did he die multiple times and come back to life?” Naruto questioned.

“No,” Hinata said, eyeing him curiously. “Why?”

Naruto took a deep breath. “Reborn here keeps killing me, and I keep coming back.”

Hinata’s eyes widened. “Interesting.” She shook her head. “But no. He died and is buried in the ancestral graveyard.”

Naruto looked at her seriously. “Mind if I call out his ghost?”

Hinata shook her head. “Go ahead.”

Renato looked mildly curious as Naruto brought out a mask.

“Did you pack _everything_ within the two minutes we were out of your trailer?”

“No, I stole this from a family shrine,” Naruto said. “While we were walking here.”

“How –“ Renato stopped. “Even if I asked you couldn’t tell me.”

It wasn’t a question.

“Not unless you and I were _actually_ married,” Naruto replied.

Hinata’s eyes widened. “You’re _not_ married?”

Naruto shook his head. “No, he doesn’t want to give up his last name.”

“Where I come from, it’s looked down upon to be married to another man,” Renato replied just as Naruto spoke.

Naruto blinked. “It is?”

“Yes,” Renato said. “Wait, you didn’t know that?”

“No,” Naruto replied with a frown. “I just assumed they were discreet about it.”

~:~

Skull hesitated to put the mask on. Renato watched as Skull lifted it, paused, then slid it in a pouch, walking to Ryuuzetsu’s grave.

“He really seems to like you,” Hinata said, bringing Renato’s attention to her. “You know, Naruto-san saved this world by taking out Madara.”

Renato’s gaze flicked to the man in seeming normal shinobi wear.

“I gather that now,” he said. “He was also almost killed by the people he died trying to protect.”

Hinata sighed, lowering her eyes.

“In this world, it is shinobi who fight the battles,” she said. Her amber eyes flicked to his. “But for ones like him, a jinchuuriki… Life is not easy.”

“ _Jinchuuriki?”_ Skull mentioned that word before.

“A human sacrifice,” Hinata said, her amber eyes darkening. “My Ryuuzetsu… She was the next in our line to carry the Dragon Rebirth* ability, the ability to bring back one person from the dead. This ability passes along to the next in our line; I myself have it, but I knew I had to give birth to a child.” Hinata swallowed. “This ability can be used by us on ourselves, or it can revive one we care for deeply. Ryuuzetsu took on a mission she thought she could handle because it involved someone she loved, and she had the intent to use it on him. I felt her pass; the Dragon Rebirth users can feel each other.” Hinata sipped her tea. “I think, if Naruto has a child, a piece of the Dragon Rebirth anchored in his soul can travel on and not let our line die out.”

“Is this a theory?” Renato asked.

“It is,” Hinata acknowledged. “With the use of a Dragon Rebirth, the recipient does gain a shard of the power to pass on down. Ryuuzetsu was the last daughter of our clan.”

A lightbulb went on.

“You’re relying on Skull to have children.”

Hinata nodded stoically.

“When he does, he passes down the Dragon Rebirth.”


	27. Chapter 27

“What did your dead compatriot tell you?” Reborn asked.

“He told me that when I touch Shion’s pin I’m going to find the best female and the first daughter that comes along will have the Dragon Rebirth ability and Shion’s priestess powers,” Skull replied shortly.

“How do you know he wasn’t lying?” Reborn was actually wondering why Skull thought he could trust ghosts –

“This mask forces them to tell the truth,” Naruto said, showing him the mask of… Well, it looked like a Japanese Shinigami mask. “This mask summons the Shinigami depending on the user’s will. Depending on the person’s intent, the Shinigami will appear… Most likely to kill you and steal your soul, but I’ve only seen that once. The Uzumaki – my clan – used blood to lock the ones in the shrine away. I actually had to prove my heritage to get into the shrine. Fucking redheaded ghosts,” Naruto said under his breath.

Reborn frowned.

“Plus, the dead are privy to more secrets than we of the living are,” Naruto added with a tired smile. “I’m assuming that inside the scroll is Shion’s pin.”

“Why don’t you ask for Shion’s soul?”

Naruto’s mouth tightened.

“Because summoning the dead is taboo,” he said. “I was able to do it because I’m not allowed to die yet. I guess. I don’t know.” Naruto sighed, sounding frustrated.

~:~

Naruto groaned as he came to himself, the conspicuous lack of pin, a grinning Joker, and the massive headache he had evidence of a very… _this world-ish_ night out.

“Congrats, man!” Joker laughed as Naruto leaned over and heaved. “You’re _finally_ experiencing a hangover!”

“Ugh,” Skull groaned, feeling too queasy to move, but getting sick standing there. “Ugh, let’s… Let’s leave…”

He stumbled against Joker, who snorted and made noises of disgust when Skull’s scent reached his nose.

Renato had gone back to Italy, saying the few days he’d taken off would have messed with his schedule. Skull had finally used the pin on their last night in Japan, and they were supposed to be headed to the airport.

A trill rang through the air. Joker frowned and took out his silent phone.

“Not mine.”

Skull opened his, cussing out a greeting.

“Fuck you, whoever’s on the end of this line.”

“ _Sir, it’s Matteo. You left me in charge of the Cielo Stellato.”_

“I did _what?”_ Skull felt his head throb viciously. “Okay… Why are you calling?”

“ _Sir, we got a lead on your kids… Or a possible lead, anyway,”_ Matteo informed him.

His heart stuttered to a stop, it seemed. His headache vanished. His eyes cooled.

“What?” his voice, on the other hand, was a croak.

 _“Sofia visited the donna of the Giglio Nero several times,”_ Matteo told him quickly. _“Luce di Giglio Nero’s a bit known for her foresight, so I’m assuming it was her.”_

“I already knew about Luce. Sofia told me.”

_“Well, did she tell you that one of Luce’s resident Guardians, a Sun, was at your daughters’ birth? I’ve felt the energy, and there’s two distinct places two Suns were at the time of Sofia giving birth. The rooftop across the road and inside Sofia’s chambers, meaning we caught them on camera.”_

“And one of them was _Reborn,”_ Skull said, the phone making an alarming cracking sound. “I’ll be there in a few hours, fetch me at the airport.”

“ _Yes, sir.”_

~:~

“There’s a ball tonight at the Giglio Nero mansion,” Matteo informed him as he took off his smelly clothes. “It would be better if we had a Mist with you, sir.”

“Why?” Skull asked, curious.

Matteo blinked. “Well, you have the attributes of a Sky Flame. Sofia was a Misty Sky. If you make everyone think you’re Sofia… Well, it wouldn’t be very hard if you put a wig and hood on, you both rock the purple hair.”

Skull looked at him. “In other words, if I looked like a waifish version of myself and had Mist Flames I would look like Sofia.”

Matteo blinked. “Never thought of it, but I guess.”

Skull nodded. “I think I know of someone.”

~:~

Elena scowled, putting her arms over her chest. “I’m not _that_ good with Mist Flames. From what I know Xia-He is better.”

“Then having you at the party is better than not having you at all,” Skull replied.

“Ball,” Xia-He corrected. “And what about Aurore and Mariella?”

“Both of them are coming, more for the sake of Nagato and Konan,” Skull informed them. “Pein will be acting through his Six Paths, and Konan will have clones stationed in and around the party.”

“Security for you?” Elena asked shrewdly.

“For you guys, actually,” Skull told her and Xia-He. “I’d rather not risk you two.”

“This is all under the theory that not many people know of Sofia’s death,” pointed out Xia-He.

“Skull’s succession was kept quiet. If anything, Sofia faked her death to confuse her enemy,” Matteo reasonably said. “And they also think Skull’s in China.”

“Drinking,” Skull smirked. “I’m technically there, drinking my way through Asia.”

Elena sighed. “Okay. Anything else we need to know?”

“The one behind this is most likely the one who pointed me out to Sofia,” Skull reasoned. “Which leaves one person whose name keeps repeating. Luce di Giglio Nero.”

“Aaaaaand _that’s_ the reason we’re meeting in a crowded marketplace looking like we’re on a date?” Xia-He sensibly asked.

“Yes,” Skull smiled. “Because the mansion Sofia lived in is probably bugged. So they _think_ she’s dead.”

Xia-He’s eyes glittered. “You’re going to become Sofia.”

“In a way, which is why I need a good enough Mist to fool someone.” Skull took a deep breath. “Skull – everything connected to _Skull;_ you two, Mariella, Matteo, Aurore, and the Cielo Stellato – they’re all going to be targeted if people find out Skull is threatening the life of another donna. But if Sofia comes out, threatens Luce and dies in the attempt _if I’m right,_ then only the Cielo Stellato and Matteo will be in danger.”

“Hey!” Matteo objected.

“Don’t take it personally,” Skull smiled at Matteo. “You told me you knew the risks of heading an organization like a mafia group.”

“I do, but…” Matteo pouted. “You suck.”

“I know,” Skull snorted. “Let’s get ready.”

~:~

Renato leaned in the corner of the ballroom. He’d only come as a favor to Luce, and nothing else. He did see several non-mafia milling about; two members of COMSUBIN, the assassin Fon, a few scientists – his attention was pulled as a Mist entered.

He turned his eyes and saw the waifish, _dead_ donna of the Cielo Stellato enter. Those that knew of her status – or it was assumed – immediately took in the Cloud next to her.

And that’s when Renato understood.

For a reason he couldn’t name, Skull had come as Sofia. Elena Estrello stood next to him; few knew she was a Cloudy Mist.

“Donna Sofia.”

Sofia turned to the approaching boss of the Giglio Nero.

“Donna Luce.” Her voice was friendly. “Might we speak in private?”

“Of course,” Luce smiled.

Renato watched with narrowed eyes as Luce and Skull exited, slinking out after the duo.

~:~

Lal glanced around the ball. “I don’t see anything unusual.”

Colonello frowned. “Most are blatant Mafiosi.”

“Yes, well, we _did_ get invited to the _Donna of the Giglio Nero’s_ ball, so that may be why,” Lal said back to him bitingly.

“Why us?” Colonello scowled.

“I don’t know.” Lal glanced at her wrist. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something, though.” She poked at her wrist. “Why the _hell_ did you try to yank me out of the way of that spell?”

“The Binding Spell? I thought it was just going to bind you, I didn’t know it would force us to be within fifty feet of each other,” her ex-student said, blue eyes wide and honest. “Besides, if I _hadn’t_ latched onto your cloak, you would’ve been toast when you appeared in the Ministry… And why did it take us _this long_ to talk about it?”

Lal blushed a little. Honestly, she’d been trying to avoid it as much as possible. And with the military work she’d been doing at COMSUBIN, well…

A man approached her. Fine hairs on the back of her neck stood up, a warning that this man was dangerous even though he appeared ordinary; like an ordinary Mafiosi.

“Lal Mirch, I have a proposition for you,” the man said in a light voice. “Meet me here at this address and we’ll talk.”

“I can’t come without Colonello,” Lal deadpanned. She _literally_ couldn’t go without Colonello to places.

He smiled. “Bring him too, then.”

The door to the front opened. The boss of the Giglio Nero moved towards the front, as though whoever it was, was important enough to warrant a personal welcome.

“Donna Sofia,” Luce greeted as a hush swept over the ball.

“Donna Luce,” the other greeted, her voice a whisper. “Might we speak in private?”

Sofia di Cielo Stellato was alive? Rumors indicated she was dead.

But then, rumors could easily be exaggerated.

“Of course,” Luce smiled.

Lal’s eyes narrowed as they seemed to gain a shadow.

“Should we follow?” Colonello wondered.

“No,” Lal decided. “We let them go. I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but whatever does it’s meant to, I suppose.”

Colonello frowned.

“You don’t normally let this kind of thing go,” Colonello said, his voice thick with suspicion.

Lal shook her head. “This ball doesn’t make sense, Colonello. We’re the _only_ military.” Her eyes picked out a Chinese man, a few scientists. “And I think the only mafia here are the Giglio Nero without blatant Giglio Nero crests on them.”

“And the others?”

Lal swallowed a little.

“I think,” she said slowly, “some are being recruited.”

~:~

Skull huffed, flopping on the couch, her dress completely ruined.

“So everything went to plan?” Nagato questioned through a Path.

Skull nodded. “Something’s definitely up. You said Reborn was one of the Suns at Sofia’s – when Sofia was giving birth, yeah?” Matteo nodded. “Well, she killed me. Said I couldn’t lead the Cielo Stellato.”

“She gave me this during the panic,” Elena said, her eyes dark, sliding an envelope down. Everyone leaned in to watch Skull sit up and open the letter, Xia-He focused on her chest and Mariella her hair.

“Hey, _padre?_ Are you transgender?”

“No, I’m like a fox woman,” he said absently, opening the envelope. “Except I’m a male and… Okay, so like half the time, yes, I’m technically transgender.” He winked at Aurore, who nodded, looking satisfied.

He took out an elegant-looking invitation, full of fancy script.

_Please meet at this time and place on this day._

Skull stared at the letter.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Skull admitted with defeat. “I don’t understand why a powerful Mist and a Sky would be so bad in my line.” He looked sincerely confused. “I don’t know if there’s a future so bad that I _needed_ to sleep with Sofia – I just…” He let the invitation flutter down, looking suddenly bone-weary.

“We’ll continue surveillance.”

Konan’s voice made everyone jump violently. Since she was right behind Skull he screamed, turning into a male in a dress for a long moment before he _shunshin_ -ed and changed and _shunshin-_ ed back.

Xia-He sighed with disappointment.

“Fuck,” she muttered. “It’s _sooo_ hard to find someone cute and sexy like you, _jiǎ zhàngfū,_ when you’re a girl.”

“Don’t call me your fake husband! I’m technically widowed twice over!”

“Thrice, Naruto-sama, considering you technically accepted Shion’s proposal in front of an accepting monk,” Konan said in a bland monotone. “Even though said monk was possessed by a demon.”

“Oh for the love of the Sage of Six Paths!” Skull facepalmed. “Moryo _killed_ her after she blatantly said I was going to produce an heir for her! It was _him_ who said something about killing married couples – wait a moment, you were _spying on me even then?!”_

Konan stared at him.

“I always spy on threats,” she said flatly. “I protect you instead of spy on you.”

Naruto swallowed. “I would like you to protect these idiots.”

The heavy atmosphere lifted… Or…

“Did you just include me in your definition of –“

“Oh, Aurore!” Skull laughed loudly and falsely. “You’re still in the room!”

The killer intent he felt from Mariella (for some reason) and Elena (for obvious reasons) made him start to swear.

“No, just… The other people in the room are idiots!”

The killer intent doubled.


	28. Chapter 28

Skull stepped into the theater with trepidation. He could immediately identify the feel of Flames – which was a strange relief, although it felt like persistent buzzing on his neck.

“And the civilian arrives!”

Skull blinked as a spotlight trained on him.

Okay, they expected him to play dumb. Or be dumb.

Not hard for him, at this moment.

“What’s going on?” he asked, frowning in confusion.

“Hello, Skull de Mort!” A person with light hair appeared in his view. He shoved his shinobi instincts down and flinched rather than punched the person in the face. “Nice to meet you! My boss has hired you and several others for a _very_ special reason!”

“Boss?” Skull frowned, the light getting to him. “Can you kill the light? It’s killing my eyes!” he complained, thinking about it for a second. Depending on who was there, he’d have to play stupid.

The light shut off, and the man vanished.

Skull was positive the creepy-ass smile on the man’s face before he disappeared wasn’t just his imagination.

“Skull?”

Lal Mirch stood from a random seat in the theater, along with Colonello. Skull’s senses tingled.

Whoever was watching them had too big a presence to hide.

“Do I know you?” Skull asked with a frown. Then his face lit up. “Oh! You must have been to one of my shows!”

“Yeah, apologies for speaking so informally. I am a huge fan,” Lal said, registering his words as for what they were. Complete misdirection.

“Skull de Mort.”

“You I _do_ know!” proclaimed Skull. “You kidnapped me to marry that Chinese lady!”

The assassin smiled and bowed. “Apologies,” the man seemed to mock.

“What,” Renato questioned, his voice icy, “is a _civilian_ doing in this gathering?”

“ _You!”_ Skull felt complete amusement at the rage he was… Not entirely faking, because he was still plenty pissed at Renato at the moment. “You I know, too! You tried to kill me!”

“If I tried to kill you, you would be dead,” Renato replied coolly.

“I want some of your blood.”

Skull screamed and fell backwards as a green-haired man popped out of nowhere. More diagonally, since the man popped up partially in front of him.

A hooded person shoved Skull off of her; judging by the scent, it was that witch-wizard Zinnia.

“I am Viper,” Zinnia-Viper said, their voice blank and still sort of feminine. Even so Skull wasn’t going to favor one gender over the other with Viper, because Viper was neither.

All of these people Skull had met before. It was mildly confusing. Why would these people just… Be around?

“Glad to see you’re getting to know each other,” a cool, familiar voice said.

Luce of the Giglio Nero approached them as they all turned to look at her. Skull was wary of her for good reason.

She _had_ killed who she thought was Sofia.

“Right now, six of you,” her eyes cut to Lal and Colonello, “or seven, as it is, shall be known as the _I Prescelti Sette._ Tell me, does anyone have a Sky Flame?”

“A Sky Flame?” Clueless, civilian Skull came to the fore. “What’s that?”

The boss blinked at him. “Sofia didn’t tell you?”

“Sofia? You mean the lady who had sex with me and then married me and I found dead with my kids gone? _That_ Sofia? She wasn’t interested in much talking, to be honest,” Skull said, rubbing his chin.

“You sound oddly accepting of having missing kids,” Lal said.

 _Clueless civilian, clueless civilian,_ he chanted to himself. He could feel Kurama messing with his mind, forming a protection of fake memories.

Bijuu are _always_ prepared.

“I drink a lot,” he said honestly. “So I don’t really feel anything except a buzz right now.”

“You’re drunk.” Luce’s right eyebrow ticked. “Unfortunate.”

“I have Sky Flames,” Lal said as Luce opened her mouth. “They’re my Secondary Flame.”

“Even if you _think_ they’re a Secondary, they’re not,” Luce shook her head with an apologetic smile. “Sky Flames are only Secondary if you don’t have them when you manifest Flames.”

“Hmm.” Skull tilted his head. “Flames are what, exactly?”

Luce looked aggravated.

~:~

“What game is he playing?”

Colonello frowned as he slid clothes on. The hex was wearing thin, meaning Colonello and Lal could get further away from each other, but both were actually more comfortable around each other now that they’d been hexed together.

“I mean, I know – I’m pretty sure most of us know – that –“

 _“Muffliato!”_ Lal waved her wand, shooting him an almost angry look. He stopped talking, waiting almost impatiently for her to finish weaving her spells.

A shell of silence surrounded them. Colonello felt something cool, like he wasn’t being watched anymore.

He hadn’t even realized they were.

“Be careful what you say,” the Master of Death told him icily, her eyes flashing. “Skull may not be a true civilian, but he’s not from this world. Apparently, _nobody knows_ he’s not quite a civilian, and I’m pretty sure that he’d like to keep it that way.”

“Luce doesn’t know?”

“Neither does the man that recruited us,” Lal said, sinking onto the bed.

Colonello took a deep breath. “Well, then, I suppose we’re just going to have to pretend.”

“Which means acting like he _is_ just a civilian,” Lal whispered.

~:~

“Can I take some of your blood? Please? I’ve been –“

“ _No.”_

Skull wanted Renato to shoot him right then. Being in the same room as other men – Verde in particular – was annoying and irritating. Luce had set up hotel rooms, probably bugged, for them all. Colonello, Viper, and Lal were the only ones in different rooms, probably because of Viper not wanting to share their gender and Colonello and Lal were stuck together.

It was interesting to note, to Skull at least, that the magical Flame users smelled different than the non-magical – and himself. He didn’t _smell,_ per se, but he knew his own scent had changed.

Renato smelled like heat and healing and blood borne of violence; Verde of ozone and chemicals Skull didn’t try to differentiate; Fon of summer storms and, oddly enough, peaches.

Skull blinked as he inhaled a breath, letting the scents catalogue themselves.

“Peaches,” he muttered to himself, standing and walking out as Verde slumped and walked off. The door slammed shut behind him, the shinobi sighing and dragging his hand down his face before ‘civilian’ overtook him.

~:~

“ _WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO MY HAIR AND CONTACTS?!”_

Skull’s horrified scream woke Verde up; seeing the other beds holding two awake assassins looking vaguely irritated, Verde assumed they’d been up for a while.

The door opened.

“What the hell are _you_ doing in here? You should be with Lal!” Verde regretted his outburst, because Colonello did not have marks on both cheeks, nor a large scar on his chest.

“I’m not Colonello!”

“So it’s not a tattoo?” Fon wondered idly; it took a moment for Verde to connect the dots. “And where are your piercings?”

“Oh, I only wear my piercings during the day,” Skull said, glancing at Fon. “And whatever he put in my shampoo ruined my hair!”

“And your makeup,” Reborn observed.

Skull glared at him, not looking happy.

“You’re buying me some purple dye and new contacts!” he yelled at Verde.

Verde simply smiled, no longer as upset as he had been. “Fine,” he replied.


	29. Chapter 29

Skull put two bandages on his face, hiding the scars. Adding it with his facial piercings, he realized he liked the look of them. Maybe a bit smaller, but… Hey, he could have them as fashion accessories.

He actually hadn’t worn the facial piercings for ages, having a problem with actually _remembering_ to put the piercings in.

“Those look ridiculous,” Renato said.

_Civilian, remember to play civilian._

“I –“ he started, before Luce came into the theater and took in the group, a frown on her face as she saw what seemed to be two Colonellos. Colonello himself was staring at Skull avidly.

“Skull?” she asked, looking at him doubtfully.

Skull pointed towards Verde childishly. “He put dye remover in my shampoo! And misplaced my contacts!”

Luce glanced at Verde. “Please refrain from doing that again,” she requested. “I have a mission for you seven, if you’re willing to take it.”

Nods went all around.

“I don’t want to,” Skull said, only to comically freeze as Renato lazily pointed a gun at him, Colonello smirking evilly at him.

“You’re not going,” Luce deadpanned. “In fact, you being trained is something that needs to be done.”

“But I don’t wanna fight,” he moaned.

“I’ll train him,” Lal volunteered. “He’ll be less of a hassle.”

“Good,” Luce nodded. “Then everyone else will go on this mission. Colonello, you’re staying behind, I presume.”

It wasn’t a question.

~:~

“Ahh! Adoring fans make me smile!” Even at Lal and Colonello’s private military base, faced with the possible torturous activities of training, Skull had fans of his motorcycle work. “Lal… You know I don’t really need training, right?”

“Are we being watched right now?” she questioned shrewdly.

“No,” he replied. “I _always_ feel them watching me when they are. As discreet and invisible as they are, they have a distinct presence.”

Lal nodded; Colonello’s eyes were a bit wide as the two spoke so casually. “Good. We need a signal for when we’re being watched.”

Skull frowned. “What’s your least favorite food?” he asked.

“Ice cream,” Lal said, “vanilla flavor.”

Skull smirked. “Colonello, yours?”

“Ramen,” Colonello said with a face.

Skull’s smirk fell. “Heresy!” he gasped, before he let his smirk reappear. “If we say something about our least favorite food, we’re being watched. Mine’s sushi.”

“It’s stupid,” Lal nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Show us what you can do, though,” she added, as though an afterthought. “That way when we’re not being watched…”

Skull smiled happily. “I _love_ to outshine people! Just let me get a mild disguise on, I don’t want to be mobbed again.”

There was a flash of terror in both of those eyes. Well, apparently Skull wasn’t the only one who hated being mobbed by fans – even if he _did_ love the attention. Most of the time.

~:~

“This is a mess.” Luce set a stack of papers down. “Sixty hours in a gun range and Skull can’t shoot straight, so I had Lal Mirch train him in other things – _practical_ weapons, I thought – and now he’s apparently the worst _boomerang_ thrower ever!”

She rubbed one of her temples. Her visitor moved a little, taking one of the chocolates off her decorative candy holder.

“Don’t even get me started on how Reborn and Verde do not get along. Fon and Reborn at the very least _tolerate_ each other, and that’s the extension of it all.”

“I think using Skull wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

Luce blinked.

“What do you mean?”

“You haven’t read the reports on many of them, I assume. All of them but Skull are trained in a variety of weaponry, etcetera. They don’t involve civilians. So, why not move the timetable up a little bit? Your operation with the Notte Oscura indicates Skull and Mirch have a little history with them. Throw Skull and Mirch to them, see what happens next.”

He settled back.

“There’s a problem with that,” Luce replied softly. “Lal Mirch is a witch.”

“And what exactly have the Notte Oscura been working on?”

A smile had formed on the shadowed guest’s face, visible through the darkness.

Luce’s lips twisted into a smirk, not suiting her usually gentle features.

“Well, then… Let’s see what’s going to happen.”

~:~

“The theater _again?_ I hate this place,” Skull bluntly said.

“So do I,” Colonello muttered. “So, how’s your boomerang training?” He turned to Naruto with a pleasant smile, even though he’d _been_ there.

There was a _reason_ Sasuke and later Sakura had been entrusted with the demon wind shurikens.

“Fine!” lied Skull lightly. “Now, whaddya want?”

“Lal Mirch, Skull, I have a mission for you.”

The pretty empty theater went absolutely quiet as Luce handed them packets.

“My famiglia has been tracking and sabotaging – subtly, of course – the Notte Oscura. As they’re the main famiglia for smuggling operations, knock them down and the whole operations falls – at least, that’s the theory.”

Skull looked at the packet Luce handed him.

“There’s an operative in the Notte Oscura that uses Rain Flames to calm those with InActive Flame types, along with a Mist illusion. This man has, aptly, been called the Pied Piper.”

Skull stared at the packet. “In other words, you want Lal and I to attract this Pied Piper.”

“Yes. You don’t exactly have Active Flames, and as a Sky secondary, Lal has more of a pull in case of an emergency,” Luce responded quickly. “She can feel you better than anyone else.”

Skull doubted that very much.

“You’ll be disguised at a party, so you’ll be fine if you stick together. Reconnaissance only,” Luce warned.

Again. Skull doubted that very much. Luce had already spoken of bringing the Notte Oscura down; even if she hadn’t it didn’t take a genius for one to figure out Luce did have an ulterior motive.

Lal met his eyes, and he realized something.

They were the only two with a secondary power. He’d gained a power when he’d taken this body. Lal was a witch.

He took a breath, sinking in his theater chair as he mulled over it.

~:~

“I’m shocked you know how to dance,” Lal said lightly. Skull smirked to her as he twirled her slowly.

“During one of my missions, I was forced to escort a priestess to eradicate a demon that was threatening the… Well, I wouldn’t say peace because Madara – really evil dude, by the way – had started a war with everyone – but anyway. Shion taught me how to dance.” He smiled a little.

“Sounds a bit like you loved her,” Lal observed as Skull dipped her.

He smiled down at her, looking quite respectable despite the lipstick and hair. Lal’s eyes widened as she realized that was the _point._ People would look past something if the aura was ‘I belong’.

“Wow,” she uttered.

His grin widened, before he nodded.

“I think, before she died, I did start thinking of a _maybe_ future with her,” he admitted. “But she _did_ die. Because I was stupid and nearly got killed.”

Something haunted his eyes – before they glazed over.

Lal frowned.

“The piper,” Skull whispered. His eyes focused, looking directly at Lal. “The piper has come.”

Lal stepped back. “Then go.”

~:~

Skull followed the adults, listening with only half an ear as he did, as the Piper played the tune.

He reached out and opened a door.

His surroundings flared and vanished, replaced with…

…a reception.

He looked down. He wore a suit, but it was the air that convinced him.

“Fuck,” he cussed. “Piper’s gonna get what’s coming to him, I swear.”

“ _Na-ru-to!”_ Sakura’s glaring face bore down on him. He blinked at her, not sure what he’d done this time. “You’re the best man here! _Talk!”_

“Eh?!” Naruto took in the venue. “Fuck!” he yelped. “Um, Sasuke… Happy wife, happy life.”

Laughter, unsure and slightly high, echoed through the reception hall.

He sat down, setting the flute of champagne down.

“I suppose Shion’s not happy you had to come all the way back here?”

Sasuke’s low voice made him jump.

“Er, what?” Naruto asked, just registering what Sasuke had said. “I’m… married to Shion?”

Sasuke frowned at him.

“Naruto, are you all right?” he asked, swatting away Sakura’s attempt to feed him cake. “Sakura, I hate cake. Naruto, answer me.”

Naruto stared at the area around him.

“Man,” he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know what the fuck that guy drugs people with, but it’s giving me a headache to think about it.”

~:~

Lal slipped into the room Skull had entered, immediately registering the change in her mind.

“Hyacinth! You’re late!” Molly Weasley scolded.

“I am?” she asked, confused. _Late for what?_

“Your wedding to Fred!”

 _I’m not marrying Fred,_ Lal thought, realization filtering through her mind. _How cruel,_ she thought, shaing her head and running out the door, running past the wards, past the fence. _I can’t,_ she thought to herself, her heart pounding. Everything seemed real.

But nothing was. It was a manifestation of the dreams – a mind-bending reality. Nothing real, everything imagined.

Knowing how soft Skull’s smile was at the mention of that Shion woman… She could bet a pretty penny that she knew what he was dreaming.

She took a deep breath, then forced a smile on her face.

 _If I make it through this dream world, then I’ll be fine,_ she braced herself, hoping Molly hadn’t actually called the wedding off.

~”~

Cake was cut. Lal simply acted, knowing most of these sheeple wouldn’t realize that anything was wrong.

“- I even ran away from _my_ wedding at first,” Molly was saying. Lal blinked, coming back to the situation. “It’s not uncommon to panic, dear.”

“I wasn’t panicking,” Lal replied, defensive. “I _panic_ when facing evil people. I have a mild spike in heart-rate when thinking about my very long future ahead of me.”

“It’s good you’re marrying the good-looking one, then,” Fred smirked.

Hyacinth gave him a droll look. “If that were true I would’ve married George.” She smirked into her champagne as Fred choked, George snickering. “But then, I would’ve had to deal with his… _holey_ jokes.”

Titters spread around the room.

The _Lal Mirch_ part of her mind analyzed the situation. The forefront part, the one who missed the Weasleys but had to leave… The _Hyacinth_ part, it wanted control.

And for a moment, Lal Mirch receded. Hyacinth appeared.

But Lal Mirch hung in the background.


	30. Chapter 30

Renato looked at the plans of the Notte Oscura base of operations with critical eyes, looking for the best place to put explosives.

The door slammed open, Colonello and Viper standing there. Both breathed erratically.

“The Piper,” Colonello began, before stopping to breathe heavily. “Oh god, I’m dying.”

“Walk it off,” Viper said, taking a noticeable pause. “You’re a damn soldier.”

“And we’re busy,” Fon said calmly, smiling that irritating smile.

“Where’s Verde?” Luce appeared, looking annoyed. “I need all hands on deck. Mirch and Mort have been captured.”

“The lackey? We might need Mirch, but we don’t really –“

The pressure of Sky Flames silenced everyone in the room.

“They are _part_ of this team,” Luce hissed. “We all need them to work together.” She took a deep breath. “Find them, rescue them, and blow the place up. I do not care.”

“Why would Verde be needed?” Renato questioned sharply.

“Last I heard, the Piper was an old enemy of his,” Luce replied, stopping before she left the room. “The Piper likes to mix hallucinogens that disconnect your brain from reality with his Mist Flames. So, if you want to risk Mirch and Mort to a bunch of the lowest of the low of the mafia, be my guest.”

Renato arched an eyebrow.

“You’ll be paid appropriately.”

“You should have led with that,” Verde said, smirking as he, too appeared. “And the Piper?” He fixed his glasses, a smirk curling at his lips. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen that pathetic excuse for a scientist.”

~:~

Viper walked in the front door, in a catering outfit. Parties here were a _thing,_ as one happened one week or another. She spotted her compatriots catering – save for, of course, Verde and Fon. Those two wouldn’t have cut it. Even Reborn, with his ridiculous sideburns that stuck out like a sore thumb – the most noted attribute of the legendary hitman – could hide in plain sight.

While Viper did know that Fon was an assassin, there was a difference between _vanishing from sight_ and _hiding in plain sight._ Verde had insisted that Piper would let him in without any complaints, as the two had a long-standing feud. The Piper was a scientist of biology, whereas Verde was primarily a biochemical scientist (though he did dabble in other fields) – according to Verde, Verde’s boast of being chosen for the ideal scientist of the _I Prescelti Sette_ would piss the Piper off.

Viper could sense another powerful Mist approaching. Every one of the team save Verde and Fon had to keep their Flames under wraps in hopes that nobody would sense them, or their operation was blown.

A blonde woman exited the stairwell, her lab coat, slightly mussed hair, and very potent Mist signature identifying her as the elusive Piper.

“Verde,” the Piper said in a neutral voice, the smirk growing wider on her face. “It’s a displeasure to see you at this party.”

“You’re a disgrace to the community of scientists, Piper.” The Piper’s smirk stayed on her face.

“Ah, ah~” The Piper shook her fingers as she basically told him to stop talking. “I’ve heard a lot about the Strongest Seven. Tell me.” The Piper leaned on the wall, taking a flute of champagne. “What happened to the previous members, again? It’s only been seven years since the last _I Prescelti Sette_ were chosen, dear Verde.”

Viper’s eyes narrowed. According to her spynet, the Piper wasn’t exactly _wrong._

“Oh, but I think the last Sky in the _I Prescelti Sette_ died early, too. Shame.”

“What are you inferring, Piper?” Verde’s eyes narrowed.

The Piper smiled magnanimously, sipping her champagne.

“I’m inferring, my dear fellow scientist. You might want to back _out_ of whatever you’re doing and _leave_ the _I Prescelti Sette._ You’ll just die in a few years anyway.”

Fon’s eyes narrowed, and the man opened his mouth just as the Piper collapsed, her champagne falling to the ground.

The Piper was dead not long afterwards, poison being the most obvious factor.

~:~

Renato eyed the people in the tubes of water, silvery substances coming from their heads. Skull and Lal were trapped in them.

The oddest thing… It looked like they were at peace.

“Those bastards.”

Viper’s low hiss brought his attention to the Mist.

“They’re harvesting memories.”

Renato checked his clip. “I have thirty bullets.”

Viper scoffed, stepping out and withdrawing a blade.

“Cover me,” she ordered, walking over to Lal and stabbing her hand.

Nothing moved in the room.

“I have a bad feeling,” Colonello muttered, uneasily checking the hallway behind them.

Viper’s cussing didn’t help.

“Viper, what is it?” Fon’s quiet question made Viper turn.

“I can’t wake them up. I need help.”

“With what, exactly?” Renato asked, making her jump as he’d made his way directly behind her.

“With putting the memories back in without destroying the tube.” She took a deep breath. “Reborn, would you be able to help with that? Your Flame type is primarily Sun.”

“I don’t have a secondary Flame,” Renato informed her.

Viper sighed. “I don’t _care._ Now come over here or I’ll start charging you for helping kill my –“ She broke off, obviously not wanting to continue.

Renato walked over. “Where do you want my Flames?”

“One hand on my shoulder,” Viper responded, raising her hand. The tingle of non-Flame power made Renato want to jerk back as he grasped one of her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Hya.”

Everything turned white.

~:~

“Where are we?” It was a suburb neighborhood.

“Hyacinth’s memories,” Viper replied. Renato did a double take. Viper had raven hair and deep brown, almost black, eyes. “In order to bring her memories back to what it once was, we have to get her to consciously remember every memory they’ve pulled out. You make it less painful for one to give her memories back.”

“I see.” Renato looked around. “This is hell,” he remarked.

Viper snorted. “This is Privet Drive in Little Whinging… Surrey, _England._ ”

A girl rushed past, her wide eyes panicked.

“She ran this way!”

The girl dived into the bushes, watching the group of boys run past.

“That’s Hyacinth. We can’t lose track of her. We do, and we lose her completely.”

~”~

They tracked her through memories of her early life.

“We should be noticed soon,” Viper whispered as they appeared on a platform – Platform 9 ¾.

Renato turned. “We’ve been noticed.”

An older Hyacinth wavered and vanished from the platform after her eyes met Renato’s.

“Good,” Viper said with a relieved smile. “Then it’s going to plan.”

~”~

“Everything all right?”

Hyacinth had stopped cutting the carrots.

“Yeah, Fred. Just a small headache.” She frowned and closed her eyes. Something was _very_ wrong.

She opened her eyes.

Right outside, Zinnia Black stood. Her brown eyes bored into her green ones, and those green eyes widened as she _remembered._

 _Shit._ Hyacinth shook her head. _Gotta be Lal._ This was all _wrong._ She hadn’t been in _love_ with Fred Weasley, they’d only been friends! And not _close_ friends, at that.

“Hya, Mum –“

Lal stabbed the cutting board.

“I’m sorry, Fred.” She took a breath. “But none of this is real.”

The world started to get blurry.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Lal replied softly, “that this was all just a dream.” She sighed. “A very good one, I suppose. But a dream nonetheless.”

Lal woke up.

~:~

She hacked up water, despite having been able to breath because of an oxygen mask in that weird tank. “Ew, that’s repulsive.”

“So was your neighborhood,” Reborn observed as Zinnia helped her up. Lal snorted, then winced as her throat let her know it was raw. “Why do they harvest memories?”

Lal shivered a little. “There’s lots of reasons one could want to harvest memories,” Lal replied. “But this doesn’t make any sense. How did you –“ she looked at Viper, frowning.

“Secret Black family secret,” Viper replied, wiggling her bloody hand. “Blood magic. You’re going to need a deep connection with Skull to wake him up.”

Lal eyed the other member who was currently floating in water.

“Shit,” Lal deadpanned. “I don’t know how I’m going to help him.”

“I do,” Reborn said, causing Lal and Zinnia to stare at him. “I need a little bit of time.”

He wandered off, sliding a hand into one of his pockets.

~:~

_“I’ll see you later, Naruto. Can I talk to your regular friend, alone?” The leader of Konoha shinobi forced a smile on her face._

_Naruto paused, glancing at Renato._

_Renato waved his hand. “I can take care of myself.” Naruto rolled his eyes and glanced at his Kage with a warning in them. The woman waved her hand in response. Skull vanished through the mirror._

_Tsunade glanced at Renato._

_“I simply wanted to give you this.” She slid a mirror over to him. It was like Skull’s, but with less of a design on it. “One of the pieces of the original mirror,” she told him quietly, her honey-brown eyes staring at him. “If you are in dire need, I will respond immediately.”_

_“You and him are close,” Renato observed, sliding the mirror into his pocket. “Can I ask what connection you share?”_

_“We’re blood,” Tsunade said. “And in our world, blood is one of the most important ties.”_

_Renato said nothing else, simply tipping his hat and vanishing into his world once more._

“Tsunade,” he said, speaking into the mirror. “He needs your help.”

One minute, Tsunade wasn’t there, and the other she stood in front of him, eyes dark.

“What?”

“He’s being imprisoned. Blood magic.”

Tsunade strode out, ignoring the on-guard selves of everyone around them. She lifted her hands, setting them on the tube.

“Hmm.” Her hands continued glowing. “If you’re using magic, begin the procedure.”

Viper placed one hand on Tsunade’s, another on the glass.

“Reborn.”

The sharp command from Viper spurred Reborn into putting a hand on her shoulder and activating his Flames.

The world dissolved into a sewer.

Water dripped continuously.

 **“It’s been quite a while, Sannin no Tsunade,”** a voice rumbled.

A clawed appendage appeared from the shadow beyond the gate that they only just noticed. An enormous, fox-like being appeared, half his body still stuck in shadow.

“Kyuubi,” Tsunade replied steadily. “I expected to see Naruto in here.”

The Kyuubi eyed the three before shrinking down to a manageable size and coming out.

He was still ginormous, yes, but he no longer looked like three mountains stacked on each other.

 **“The idiot decided to remain where he was, rather than coming here.”** The Kyuubi prowled closer, revealing nine tails. **“We’ve tried to speak to him, but he’s ignoring us. Unintentional, I assume.”**

“Can you lead us to him?” Viper asked, stepping back as the Kyuubi turned his attention to her, revealing teeth sharp enough to slice them to ribbons.

“What she means,” Tsunade intervened, “can we retrieve his memories?”

 **“Unlike your witch, Naruto’s memories that are out there are completely false. All you must do is get through the barriers that he’s erected around his hiding place.”** A tail flicked. **“Gobi. Lead them.”**

A horse-like being with five tails – the size of the Kyuubi – jumped out.

 **“I don’t want to,”** the horse-being said in a distinctly female voice.

 **“Do it anyway,”** the Kyuubi snapped. **“You’re better at healing. You won’t wreck his mind.”**

 **“ _You_ just don’t want to turn into a human form,” **the Gobi sniffed, her form melting away into a human one. **“I’ll take the one with the Healing fire.”**

The Gobi pointed a white claw at Renato. Her white – pure white, with only a small ring of black to show where her pupil was in her eyes – eyes stared at him, her white hair settling around her.

He gathered that Gobi liked the white. Maybe they all had a color scheme?

A door appeared.

They stepped through it.

~:~

Naruto opened the door, expecting more council BS, when a fist slammed into his face.

“ _Naruto!”_ Shion looked distraught as he clutched his bleeding nose.

 **“Be grateful I did not do permanent damage,”** growled an elegant-looking figure in white.

Naruto stared at them standing there.

“How did you –“

“I have half a mind to kill you,” Renato snapped, his eyes flashing as he grasped Naruto’s shirt in his hand. “You little –“

“It is my fault.”

Shion’s voice caused them to look over.

“Shion?” Naruto asked, eyes wide as he removed his hand from his healed nose.

Shion looked distraught, her eyes wide with tears.

“I was so alone,” she admitted, walking towards them. Everything melted into white. “I thought…” Renato released Naruto’s shirt, letting him turn to her. “I thought, if he wanted to stay, give him something better.”

“But…” Naruto was at a loss. “I thought you left with your pin.”

Shion shook her head. “I left some of my chakra in you… Just in case I didn’t make it. And I didn’t.” She placed her hand on his cheek. “And I know domesticity now. It warms my heart to know you’ll fight for whatever you pursue.” She pecked his cheek, beginning to fade. “Time to let me go, Naruto.

“I…” He pressed her hand to his face, closing his eyes. “It’s my fault.”

“Don’t be an _idiot,”_ Shion laughed. “I could either seal Moryo and force another descendant to do so. Sacrifice for the future is something I call noble.” She closed her eyes, putting her forehead on his. “You treated me as a human, Naruto. Not as a savior or a priestess, you called me _Shi-shi_ and I loved that. I love _you._ And I died not only to save your life, but to save the world we lived in,” she told him. “So don’t blame yourself. And _let me go._ You deserve happiness, and I’m not talking cheap happiness like your teacher took. I’m talking about honest-to-goodness happiness.” She sighed. “Close your eyes and let me go.”

Naruto closed his eyes, letting a few tears fall. “I…” He took a deep breath. “Goodbye, Priestess _Shi-shi.”_

An ethereal laugh chimed as he could only feel his hand, touching his cheek.


	31. Chapter 31

Skull’s knees buckled, his body shuddering. Something was caked onto his face.

“ _Brat!”_

He jerked up, his eyes flying open and meeting brown ones.

“ _Baa-chan!”_

He hugged her as fiercely as he could.

“Fucking _moron,”_ his baa-chan groused. “Would you like to recuperate back home?”

“I might need to, yes,” Skull nodded, evading everyone else’s gaze.

Her eyebrow ticked up. He knew that she _knew_ he was avoiding them.

“We’ll cover,” Lal said, walking out of the room.

~:~

“Where is Skull?”

Luce looked at the messy group. The main base of Notte Oscura had been toppled, the casualties numbering in the hundreds.

Lal answered her question. “He had some stuff to take care of back home.”

“And where is that?” Luce questioned, folding her arms.

“Didn’t ask,” Lal said shortly. “Luce, it’s been a long week, and I think I speak for all of us when I say we’re fucking exhausted. We need a break, and staying around here isn’t going to be enough of one. Two weeks, tops, and Skull will be back, and we’ll all reconvene.”

Luce nodded. “Of course.”

With that, Lal walked off, the general murmur indicating everyone was leaving.

“They know each other,” her guest, who remained unseen, said, sounding mildly interested. “It seems if one falls, so do they all.”

“But which one is it?” Luce hummed.

“The one who is overlooked,” her guest said, sounding mildly interested. “Have you any visions, Luce?”

“No,” Luce said, frowning. “My visions haven’t come to me since the Arcobaleno vision. It seems I might not be able to take the place of the Sky.”

“Unfortunate. The tri-ni-sette would be far more stable with you at the helm.”

“Hmm.” Luce sat in her chair. “Should I construct another mission?”

“Yes, but make it simple. This curse requires those of sound mind.”

~:~

Naruto sighed as he sat back, a few moments after he’d finished the replanting of a tomato plant. Old Lady Kasia walked through the garden, two glasses of lemonade in her hand.

“Here you are, young man,” Kasia said in a pleasant voice.

“Thanks, ma’am,” he said, accepting the lemonade. “What else would you like me to do?”

Kasia eyed him for a moment.

“You look a lot like your mother when you’re thinking hard,” Kasia said out of nowhere.

“I got a lot to think about,” Naruto replied after drinking.

“You’re avoiding,” Kasia said in a blunt voice. “You’re doing D-Rank missions. Gods above I hated them.”

The old lady sat down.

“You were a shinobi?” Naruto wondered privately if she’d been here since the founding of Konoha.

“Ninety years of life and I’ve always been one,” Kasia said. Naruto choked on his spit. “Yes, that makes me older than this village. All my kids have grown, moved on. Had children. Died.” Kasia sighed. “I have several great-great-great-great grandchildren. They’re civilians, living safe.” Kasia looked down at him. “I knew your mother, boy, and she was one of those people who tried to do everything.” Kasia paused. “The day she received the Kyuubi was the day her clan was murdered, you know.”

“Yep.” His mother had told him as much.

Kasia peered at him.

“She had a lot to think about after that. She was like you. Quiet and serious and she wanted to go home, bury her people.” Kasia paused. “But she didn’t. She didn’t because while she loved Uzushio, she loved Konoha a little more.”

Naruto hummed. “Is this when you tell me I should stick with –“ he paused before he said ‘the other world’.

Kasia simply smiled. “I’m saying you shouldn’t give them the pleasure of staying here, child.”

She took the empty glass and walked off. Naruto’s eyes were wide as he watched her leave, just wondering what the woman actually meant.

~:~

Wandering Konoha, lost in thought, he shoved his hands in his pockets and slipped into a grocery store, mechanically putting healthy stuff in his basket. Ever since he became Skull he’d gotten into the healthy living lifestyle, passing up ramen.

He stopped in the middle of the store, picking up Flames. It wasn’t possible –

He dropped the basket, using a _shunshin_ and skidding in the middle of the road.

_Right in front of me?_

He tilted his head, knowing he must look like an idiot.

_“Invisibility cloak.”_

…oh, for the love of –

He pinched his nose.

“Grab my shirt, or I’ll leave you behind.”

His shirt wrinkled in two places.

He did a _shunshin_ to his place before ANBU could see the obvious wrinkling; he landed in the kitchen, where Renato sat cleaning a gun.

Lal appeared, Colonello right beside her.

“How did you even get here?” Skull asked her, truly curious.

“Reborn let us come through,” Lal explained. “We need to talk.”

“Don’t worry, I’m coming back,” Naruto dismissed with a sigh. “I basically got told to by someone older than the village.”

Lal stared at him. “This village is brand new,” she deadpanned.

Naruto snorted. “No, it isn’t.” Seeing her face, Naruto grimaced. “It’s about eighty, eighty-five years old. The parts you saw are new because they change so much. The layout of a ninja village is – well, it’s called a _hidden_ village. Konohagakure no Sato – the Village Hidden in the Leaves, translated into Italian. Or the Hidden Leaf Village. Depends, really.” He blinked as another thought occurred to him. “How did you know it was me?” he asked. He hadn’t disguised himself for this trip. He was blonde.

“A spell,” Lal shrugged. “And your Flame signature. It’s not hard to discern a Cloudy Sky Flame in a world of Flame-less beings.”

Naruto shrugged. “Fair enough. So.” He scratched his head, offering an awkward smile. “What’s… why are you here, exactly? Were you coming to convince me to come back?”

“Actually, we came to get away from the eyes watching us,” Colonello said cheerfully. “I’m here because I don’t think the spell that glued Lal and I together could withstand another dimension.”

“Great!” Naruto said as forcefully as he could. “Let me just go tell Tsunade I led _outsiders into my secret, hidden ninja village!”_

He slammed his head on the table.

“At this rate I’m going to be executed for treason again, dammit!” He scrubbed his face. “I can’t _wait_ to have to tell Tsunade I led two more people into my world. Gods, she gave me a talking-to when I brought _Reborn_ here…”

A knock sounded on the door.

“Naruto. Open the –“

“Fuck. Me.”


	32. Chapter 32

Kakashi rapped on the door. “Naruto. Open the door, I need to ta-“

The door flew open, Naruto rushing out and shutting it. He looked annoyed and frustrated.

“I’m a bit busy,” he said. “But what is it?”

“I was just wondering… How do you deal with children?”

Naruto stared at him like he’d lost his marbles.

“You said you were going to-“

Naruto’s face flashed with gut-wrenching agony.

“They’re gone,” Naruto said, a non-expression slamming down, hiding his face from Kakashi’s gaze. “They were stolen from me,” he admitted heavily. “I can’t – they don’t have chakra, exactly, and I couldn’t –“

Naruto shook his head. “Ask Kurenai. She knows better than I do.”

Kakashi hastened to make his escape.

~:~

Verde folded his arms. “Piper, you pretended to be dead after kidnapping a _lot_ of adults. _Why?”_

The biologist blew out a ring of smoke. “Because I was hired by someone so terrifying it took my death and accurate rendering of a Flame going _ka-put_ to convince them I was actually _dead.”_

Verde scowled heavily at the brunette. “Why harvest the memories?”

“We were trying to harvest the secondary power,” Piper said around her cigarette. “My boss couldn’t give a damn about the memories. The secondary signature of those two you rescued – well, both are extraordinary.” Her eyes glittered. “The woman… Her power signature was different than any witch, and the man…” She shuddered, her face going pale as she thought of it. “It hurt. His power was elusive, we couldn’t get it out. Like he was alive.”

Verde believed her. For all she was an actress, Piper couldn’t lie to him.

“Piper…” Verde wasn’t good with humans, so he changed tack. “I’m changing my degree.”

Piper’s eyes bulged. “No!” she said, horrified.

“I’m _bored_ with being _only_ a biologist,” he complained. “The lack of stimuli is _killing me._ Instead… I’m going to get a bioengineering degree!”

Piper sweatdropped. “Verde, _I’m_ the biologist, _you’re_ the biochemical engineer…”

“Oh.” Verde looked disappointed. “I was doing both all along. I’m an idiot.”

“I can’t agree more,” Piper deadpanned. “Look, Ver. You know where to find me if you have any other questions. I can’t stay in one place to long.”

“You can and you will,” Verde scowled.

“You’re not my father.” Piper blew out smoke in his face. “Or I should say, _our_ father, Ver. Bye now!”

Piper vanished.

“I hate her sometimes,” Verde said to nobody in particular.

~:~

“So. You’re a Black witch,” Fon said out of nowhere, talking directly to Viper in the middle of a grocery store in England.

Viper sighed and nodded. “Yeah, I’m a Black witch… Though I like to think I have no gender.” Viper moved to grab some lettuce. “Daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange. I was cast out for not having high magical powers, but I wasn’t blasted off the family tapestry because Bellatrix didn’t know where home was.”

“Then you must be the heiress,” Fon replied, picking out a few vegetables.

“Nope,” Viper replied. “Sirius Black was the heir, despite Walburga blasting him off the tapestry and not my mother. Sirius had no blood-heirs, and while I _technically_ have _a_ claim on Black property, Lal is the heiress of my House.” Viper glanced at him shyly. “Please don’t tell her that I told you; she wouldn’t be too pleased.”

“I gather Lal stays to the people she knows,” Fon smiled.

“Mostly, yeah. We met by happenstance.”

“Seems like everyone’s met each other by happenstance.”

Viper stopped. Then she sighed again.

“Yeah. But I mean, why the civilian?”

Fon could feel it, too. The gaze that sent chills up and down his spine.

“I have no idea.”

~:~

“Lackey, go grab us all some coffee.”

Skull twitched. “I’m not your lackey!” he pouted. Somehow, he’d been roped into the ‘fetching boy’.

Renato aimed his gun.

“Espresso,” he demanded.

Skull tilted his head, not understanding. “Espresso?” He didn’t even have to play it up. What the _hell_ was ‘espresso’?

“Here,” Viper said, sounding annoyed. “You owe me money for this, lackey,” she warned, hauling Skull forward.

She showed him how to make an espresso quickly, not offering any help as he made seven others. Eight espressos sat on the tray.

He balanced it, heading back to the room with Viper –

A massive headache slammed into his head, forcing him to drop the tray. His hands bit into the shards, but he ignored that, focusing instead on the vision that slammed into him.

Giant fireballs – only from a fireball jutsu – eradicated the Five Great Nations. The Shinju tree sprouted from the ground, encasing the world in total darkness.

The moon shone, an image of a cruelly smiling woman with three eyes imposing itself on it.

 **Impossible!** Roared the bijuu – well, each of them spoke at once, creating even more of a headache, but that was the one word that actually penetrated to Skull’s understanding; and then they spoke more, again mostly at once.

**She can’t be –**

**Madara’s _dead_ how can _she_ come out?!**

**We’re so dead if we go back there!**

**We can’t do anything stuck in this world!**

**How about we just stay calm?**

**He’s not gonna wanna _stay_ here you idiots!**

**Why not? It’s not like they’ve done much for him!**

**Shut up, guys, he’s in pain –**

**SHUT UP, CHOMEI, WE’RE ALL IN DANGER!**

Skull heard them all talking, inside and outside his head. He was being walked somewhere, he didn’t know where –

 ** _Who is she?_** The single effort it took to force out _one_ question hurt his brain. It made them shut up, which is good.

There was a hesitance in their silence.

**Kaguya. She is Otsutsuki Kaguya, the Usagi no Kami.**

_WHAT._

~:~

A certain man, hidden in the house where the others couldn’t find him, blinked at the sudden presence of his sister appearing. Apparently, she was still alive.

He ignored the commotion, instead trying to reach out to his sister.

He was met with a blank wall. Just like when Sephira had –

His last living sister blasted him with emotions enough to force him to stumble back, startling him beyond reason.

_I AM NOT SEPHIRA!_

No, she wasn’t. Kaguya was the eldest, tasked with the Divine Seed. She was supposed to flee from the Earth to another world to keep the Divine Seed from the hands of their less moral cousins.

They hadn’t heard from her until now, the connection he and Sephira had blocked by her distance among the stars.

Kaguya hadn’t carried Flames of the Sky, like Sephira hadn’t. The difference was, Sephira had magic in place of Flames and had stayed.

Unfortunately, Sephira’s line had begun to have Flames rather than magic. With few exceptions, there wasn’t many Flame and magic users.

But Kaguya’s mind was broken, shattered to pieces. He could tell that much.

 _Kaguya…_   he tried to soothe her. _It is I, Ka –_

 _I KNOW WHO YOU ARE!_ She shrieked, his head aching as she raged. _WHERE IS MY SON?_

He frowned as she seemed to mold scattered memories for him – flickers of two children who’d rebelled.

 _I do not know,_ he replied to her.

 _Then you are useless to me,_ she whispered. _I have no need of you._

With that, Kaguya replaced the block, slamming and locking it.


	33. Chapter 33

Skull was unconscious.

“He seems to be the one that’s more accident prone,” Renato said in a cutting voice as he cleaned his gun almost obsessively. “Him and Mirch, you two seem to get in the most trouble.”

“I blame it on my luck,” Lal said bluntly. “I have a curse on my blood, I’m assuming, as I get too much shitty luck.”

“I blame it on my ability, or lack thereof, to die,” Skull croaked. “And my family heritage.”

Lal glanced at him, then gave a double take.

“Dear Lord, you – you look like you just – like a vampire!”

Verde’s jaw dropped. “Holy crap! How did you get that redness under your eyes?”

“And how come you’re the one that’s always unconscious?” Renato questioned, sliding his clip into place.

“I just got told something,” Skull croaked back. “I gotta go back to my home.”

He looked miserable at the thought.

“Why not leave it to someone else?” Lal’s soft question made the three not-clued-in of the group exchange bewildered looks.

“Because I can’t,” Skull rasped, raising his hand. On it, a yellow circle seemed to glow. “It’s active, and _he_ just told me the _great_ news. _I_ have to help Sasuke seal her up, or else she’s gonna –“

Skull closed his eyes and breathed.

“Otherwise,” he said, his voice cracking, “she’s gonna destroy my world, and I can’t let her do that.”

“ _What.”_ Verde’s eyes were skeptical. “You’re saying you’re from another –“

With a heavy sigh Skull stood on the ground, turning to face the wall and planting a foot firmly on it.

“Tell me if _this_ is an ability of Flames,” he challenged, lifting himself up – though a bit awkwardly – to stand on the wall. He started to walk on the side of the wall, heading to the ceiling and stepping on it, before he dropped, flipping just in time to land in a crouch before standing up fluidly.

It was the _way_ he did it that kept the silence going. Lethal grace in one fluid movement.

 _This_ was the person who’d saved Xia-He from death by his hands, Fon realized.

Renato made sure to look down deliberately slowly at his gun as he cleaned it, despite knowing his weapon by heart.

“No it isn’t,” Verde said, breaking the silence, his eyes lit up in curiosity. “And no such thing, aside from Qi, is able to do such a –“

“I have never been able to do that,” Fon deadpanned. “Is it just you that can switch genders, or -?”

“Just me,” Skull said, not smiling. “Look, I have to go.” He clenched his right fist. _“I have to.”_

~:~

Naruto slipped into the mirror. He was a liar, it seemed. His world, at night, was silent.

Naruto darted out of the Hokage Tower silently, slipping into Sasuke’s place.

Sasuke stood at his sink, waiting for him, it seemed, because when Naruto slipped into the kitchen his eyes opened, stained with the color of the Sharingan.

“Ready?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto nodded, his mouth set.

A light flicked on.

Sakura glared at them, looking angry – and holding three backpacks.

“Kakashi’ll meet you at the village entrance.”

“What?” Sasuke looked pissed. “But –“

“He’s the only ranking officer who can prevent you two idiots from going overboard. Whatever’s going on, I don’t agree with Tsunade – you need to go.”

Her eyes glared at her teammate and husband.

“And the only way you’re going is with Kakashi.” Sakura looked at Naruto. “Are you okay? You look pale.”

“Just thinking how dead I’ll be in the morning,” Naruto honestly replied, “when the other members of my temporary team realize I fucking _lied_ to them and gave them a fake mirror. And if I permanently die… Well, that’ll suck, too.” He gave an upset-looking Sakura a lopsided smile. “Take care of that Uchiha baby. I’m sure it’ll turn out just like Sasuke.”

“I,” Sasuke said calmly, “am _right here.”_

“We know,” the two echoed.

“You should go,” Sakura said, recovering after a moment. “Before the ANBU come and check if Sasuke’s still here.”

She handed them the packs, then flicked off the lights.

The two ninja _shunshin_ ed the hell out of there.

~:~

The encampment was ablaze, powerful Uzumaki seals locking ninja in and the barrier-nin out. Naruto stared at the disaster area.

“Well, the barriers only shield for a moment,” Naruto mused aloud. “When does she come?”

“So far, she hasn’t,” Kakashi said lowly. “Not completely. It’s like her power is settling – it comes once or twice a night. Everyone is on edge.”

Indeed, the small group of nin could see ninja waiting and watching.

“Only at night?”

“They rest up, barrier-free, for the day… So, yes,” Kakashi replied quickly.

Fine hairs rose on Naruto’s neck, Sasuke probably feeling the same. This was a woman who was probably infinitely more powerful than Madara; there was no way he could break this woman’s neck and have her actually _die._

“She’s coming,” Sasuke whispered.

“She can feel us.” Naruto could _feel_ the weight of her gaze on him. “She’s been _toying_ with them. How long has this been occurring?”

“Last six nights,” Kakashi replied. “First night, we thought it was a fluke, but we found out real quickly it wasn’t.”

“The night I left,” Naruto whispered through numb lips as he thought about that night. He was anxious for no reason aside from possibly being executed _again_ for bringing intruders in the place. The shockwaves from her arrival didn’t reach him until earlier.

 _“Come out,”_ a loud whisper curled around the encampment.

Naruto and Sasuke glanced at each other, nodded, and jumped out as the barrier-nin tensed.

Chakra simmered in the air, building and building until the ninja behind could barely stand, paralyzed by the weight of her presence.

Naruto found himself… Not really that impressed with this elegant-looking woman standing in front of him.

Maybe it was the horns.

He wasn’t a horn kinda of man.

“Hello,” Naruto smiled. “We’re the reincarnations of Asura and Indra.” Her face remained blank. “In other words, we’re here to kick your ass!”

He clapped his hands. A brilliant, warm blaze enveloped him.

Sasuke chuckled, purple fire blazing out as his Susano’o formed fully.

The Staff of the Sage formed in Naruto’s hand as Naruto focused, bringing all aspects of his chakra– including the gift of the bijuu – into his chakra cloak.

The woman’s eyes hardened, veins bulging out down her face. Maybe it meant her Byakugan was better.

The lady didn’t have the Mangekyou, however. Or the Juubi.

Naruto jumped, settling on air for a moment.

(When he’d first found out he could _fly_ without use of wings, he’d been _ecstatic._ Until his neighbor found him floating and resorted to chucking flowerpots at him because she thought he was the devil.)

“What will you do, child of my child?” Kaguya asked silkily. “You are nothing against me.”

“I’m here to do what ol’ Jiji did. Seal your ass up until you _fade!”_

Kaguya gave him a tolerant smile. “But I am a benevolent goddess.”

“No, you’re not,” Sasuke said, not mincing words. “You murdered your own husband. And then your son’s girlfriend. You, ma’am, are a _malevolent_ goddess.”

Still, Kaguya scrutinized Naruto.

“You have the touch of –“

She was decked by a powerful force.

“Well, we’re fucked.”

Landing on her slug’s head, watching Kaguya plummet, stood the none-too-happy Legendary Sucker, Senju Tsunade.

Naruto cracked his knuckles.

“No offense, Tsunade-sama, but we don’t –“ he froze as the man next to her moved deliberately, revealing a gun under his jacket.

With a quick _shunshin,_ before Kaguya recovered, Naruto hovered in front of them.

“What the _hell?_ What –“

“I gave him a mirror, you fucking _shit!”_ Tsunade looked _pissed._ “I had this handled!”

“Like _hell!”_ Naruto surprised himself by jabbing a finger in her face, still glowing and hovering. “The Sage gave _us_ the fucking abilities, not anyone else! If you want to take her on and _die,_ then fucking _do it!”_

Naruto turned and jumped, sending one of the Truth-Seeking Orbs towards Kaguya, his rage coloring his vision as he sped towards her as fast as he could, bodily slamming into her and slamming her into the ground.

He’d do _anything_ to spare Renato from this.

~:~

Renato was ready to help Skull, but seeing the superhero battle, he shrugged and was ready to slide back through the mirror.

There was a pop, smoke, and he was falling.

Before he could fall too far, he was caught by a glowing Naruto – okay, no, _two_ Narutos.

“Take him back to Konoha,” the Naruto look-alike instructed. “But in case Boss –“

“I know, I know what Boss wants,” the other Naruto interrupted. “Keep Boss alive.”

“Do our best,” the clone ordered the other.

“I can walk,” Renato said obviously.

“I know, but right now it’s not –“

The clone vanished, but since he was close to the ground Renato only tumbled a few feet, cracking his skull against a tree. A shout left him – not on purpose, of course. It was an involuntary response to his injured skull.

Hair wiggled past him, blood staining it, probably from animals.

It wasn’t the nicest sight as it withdrew.

He sighed with miniscule relief.

~:~

Naruto was already running low on chakra. His limit for this mode was two rasenshuriken per five minutes, and then it had to be restored. He’d used two rasenshuriken _plus_ quiet a number of clones – it didn’t help her hair sucked out chakra from where it touched.

And right then, his mode was exhausted as she squeezed him tightly.

“You’re afraid for someone.” He saw one of his clones flying away, near the ground. Kaguya’s hair flew out, aiming at the clone.

A shout – distant as it was – met Naruto’s ears.

All sound drained away.

 _No,_ he thought, panicking to himself. _Oh, gods no!_

He _had_ to make sure Renato was alive – he would regret coming here without an explanation –

Kaguya’s hair was stained with blood.

That’s when he felt it. Blood pounded through his body, Flames filling up his core in lieu of his chakra.

_“NO!”_

The enraged scream left Naruto’s lips, twisting it in a snarl.

He didn’t have much strength to rip her hair off of him.

~:~

Renato aimed his gun, amplifying it with his Sun Flames.

Okay, so if he did this, he’d be breaking Omerta.

Well… The Vindice could arrest him. Whatever.

He shot Naruto in the head.

~:~

Naruto heard the shot, his head turning just as a projectile slammed itself into his head. He could sense the Sun Flames around it; so Renato was okay.

For a long moment he was gone. Like, dead. But his regrets were still there.

His clothes, however…

“ _With my Dying Will!”_ he snarled, grabbing her hair and yanking her down. “SASUKE!”

Sasuke flew in, slamming his hand into Kaguya’s face.

Naruto had the feeling as long as he touched her person, she’d go back from whence she came.

And yet again, as Kaguya was once more Sealed, it was the most anti-fucking-climactic battle ever.

“Dammit,” Naruto groaned as he fell forward, towards the ground.

Tsunade punched him, forcing him to choke up blood and fly away, knocking aside several shinobi.

He fought to breathe, for a moment his lungs not working.

“You little –“

He wheezed as she stormed up to him, grabbing his shirt and bringing him up.

“You had me worried!” Tsunade’s eyes sparkled with tears as she shook him. He groaned. “How could you _do_ something so reckless?”

“The old Sage,” Naruto breathed painfully. “He told me… It had to be us.” He settled his head on her shoulder, fighting the urge to throw up. _Gods,_ Tsunade had a worse right hook than Sakura. “And… You brought _him,”_ he added. “Couldn’t… Let him see...”

He coughed, blood spraying out accidentally.

Renato’s presence made him look over. Tsunade released him, not seeing him fall as she sighed and moved on.

Renato managed to haul him up.

“I can heal you,” he said simply.

“Are you alright?” Sasuke landed, his Susano’o dispersing.

“If you could get us back to the village, that’d be great,” Naruto croaked. “Because her punch… I think it may have punctured a rib.”

Sasuke smirked. “I’ll get us all back under an hour.”

~:~

“So Sun Flames, they heal?”

Renato smirked as he looked up from the scroll Sasuke-san had procured for him, waiting for the moron to wake up. Again.

“Yes. They do.”

Naruto nodded. “I guess that’s why you smell like you do?”

Renato raised an eyebrow. “I… smell?”

“Of heat,” Naruto clarified, scrunching his nose. “Or, I suppose, like sunlight. But it’s mixed with a scent I associate with healing. And… Blood. Violence.” Naruto looked a bit embarrassed.

Renato let out a soft snort.

“You should rest. I can’t believe you’re already awake.”

Naruto smiled, closing his eyes.

“Perks of being me,” he yawned, before he fell asleep.

Renato sighed.

“Those purple flames weren’t from the Nekomata.”

Sasuke’s quiet voice nearly made Renato jump – he controlled his instincts into a minute flinch.

“I know how to keep secrets,” Sasuke said, walking over to stand over Naruto, watching the blonde with a look of faint worry. “He can, too. But those purple flames… They protect him, don’t they?”

Renato nodded once. “I’m bound by a set of rules,” he revealed. “I cannot say more without being arrested by the darkest creatures in my world.”

Sasuke let out a small sigh, touching Naruto’s forehead.

“Come back soon, otouto,” the man said, speaking to Naruto before vanishing from the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I wrapped it up real quick... I do not apologize.


	34. Chapter 34

“Since none of you are cooperating as a team,” Luce said with a thin smile, “I have one last mission for you. The wizarding world – English enclaves – wish for you to find their Savior, a Hyacinth Potter.”

Lal didn’t visibly tense. Skull sucked in a breath.

“ _Wizards are real?!”_ Skull gasped, his eyes wide and clueless. _Wow,_ Skull was an amazing actor.

Luce looked like she’d rather be anywhere else.

“Yes, lackey. Now shut up and make yourself useful, or I’ll shoot you.” Reborn cocked his gun. Skull let out a cry and scampered out.

Honestly, Lal didn’t know if Reborn and Skull were flirting. Mostly because Skull and Reborn flirting didn’t seem like a thing, if his genuine threats to shoot him were anything to go by.

Lal turned her attention to the packet, reading about her previous life with detachment. It seemed that while Luce knew she was a witch – and the others were _well aware_ of the magical community – she didn’t quite know who Lal was.

Good.

Lal wanted it to stay that way; she had a feeling if she expressed her wishes, some of these people would understand just what she wanted.

Tapping her fingers, Lal let her mind wander, feeling the prickle of that hidden gaze move off, but still well aware that whoever it was could still be watching, despite her not feeling the gaze any longer.

She felt as though whatever was being planned was going to happen _really_ soon.

They left the meeting pretty quickly.

“So!” Skull clapped his hands together. “Who’s going to ‘fess up now?”

The change in demeanor on the plan meant the eyes could no longer be felt by him; everyone had been tensely waiting.

“I’m Hyacinth Potter,” Lal broke. “I’d rather _not_ be given to the enclaves, thanks. They’re all morons.” She shrugged at their looks. Reborn pretended he was asleep.

“Yeah. No, everyone probably already guessed about that,” Skull deadpanned. “Honestly, my choice of words was shitty. I was trying to ask, _what the hell is going on?”_

“I think I know.”

Verde’s whispered words made all but Reborn look to him.

“Piper’s not dead.” The announcement was calmly made. “She’s also not just a friend, she’s my sister.”

“Somehow I’m not surprised,” Viper muttered. Lal smirked a little.

Verde snorted. “Well, I asked her about the previous _I Prescelti Sette._ Turns out, their histories were wiped from the face of the mafia. I thought I recognized some of the names. I was right.”

Reborn opened his eyes as Verde turned his computer. On a blank document, several names were listed. None of which Lal or Skull recognized, that was clear from Skull’s knit brows.

Fon whistled. “I simply thought they died.”

“Mm. Their deaths were faked.” Verde slid his glasses up his nose. “Their famiglias had proof of death.” Verde clicked, and a picture of…

“Verde, if this is you fucking with us, baby pacifiers aren’t exactly the scariest thing –“

Verde hissed and slammed his laptop shut. “I’ve _seen_ this before. They’re the holders of the Arcobaleno curse.”

Some Italian words Lal _still_ didn’t understand.

“The Rainbow curse?”

Thank _gods_ for Skull’s seemingly innate understanding of Italian.

“I don’t know what it entails,” Verde said, pushing up his glasses. “Needless to say, it _isn’t_ a good thing. We can’t let anyone fake our deaths, we have to do _something_ that makes it to where we _can’t_ fake our deaths and have someone believe it.”

Skull hesitated.

“Well,” he said, catching everyone’s attention. “If it _is_ really a _rainbow_ curse,” he rolled his eyes, “then there’s one person that, even if it attaches to, most likely won’t affect that much.” He pointed his thumb to himself. “I’ve got like nine demons in my mind from another world.”

“How did they erase _them_ from the minds of the famiglias?” Lal asked, nodding towards the laptop.

Verde tapped his chin. “Piper told me, in code, that it had to be a memory thing. See, they did the _exact same thing_ we are – going around, parading themselves as the _I Prescelti Sette._ They vanished after their final mission.”

“We’re the strongest of our generation,” Fon said, his eyes narrowing. “Unless –“

“Fuck!” Lal got it. “ _Fucking hell,_ we’re going to have to beat some of the best wizards while having _eyes_ on us.”

Skull snorted.

“Won’t be a problem,” Skull grinned, smirking wider as everyone turned to him. “See, one of those demons in my head? Knows how to make illusions _pretty damn well._ As long as I _pretend,_ it’s one of those things, ya know?”

Colonello shook his head. “No. No, Skull. We don’t know.”

Skull glared at them.

“As long as it’s a believable lie, then he can manipulate the imagery anyone with _any_ kind of powers can sense. It has to be subtle. I can’t exactly kill everyone in under a minute and make _that_ a believable story.”

“You say that as though you _can,”_ Colonello argued.

Something in Skull’s sharp smile chilled Lal.

“If I wanted you to find out,” Skull _purred,_ “then you’d be _dead,_ sweetie.”

“You were pathetic against Kaguya,” Reborn grunted.

Naruto turned to look at Reborn, that smile turning into a pout.

“Oh, come _on!_ If I hadn’t been distracted by your fine ass getting caught, I would’ve had her imprisoned by the time you shot me!”

Clearly, something had happened between those two –

“You could _fly,”_ deadpanned Reborn.

Naruto threw his hands up. “Of course I can fly! Comes with the whole _being a reincarnation_ shtick. And Kaguya’s a fucking _goddess,_ okay?”

Reborn blinked at him.

“You mean to say you just sealed a pissed-off goddess?”

“Again, yeah,” Skull smirked. “Anyway, if I can beat her then I can fool whoever’s watching with demonic illusions.”

~:~

Demonic illusions? Completely unnecessary. Lal _smoked_ them.

The six others in the clearing near London stared at Lal with wide eyes. Skull was the one to whistle, impressed.

“Wow,” Skull smirked.

Lal blew a bang out of her eyes, sliding her wand back up her sleeve.

“I think I’m in love,” Colonello said, his eyes dreamy.

“Of course you are,” Skull said, slapping Colonello so hard he stumbled into Lal’s arms. Lal jumped away from him like he was fire.

Colonello turned to glare. Skull only grinned widely.

“So, illusion’s unnecessary. What’re we going to do now?”

All eyes went to Skull, who tapped his chin in thought.

“We tell everyone.” Lal’s voice was short and dangerous. “We spread the rumors. We do what needs to be done to stay alive.”

Skull’s wide grin didn’t scare her.


	35. Chapter 35

The rumors spread fast through the United Kingdom, word telling of the _Strongest Seven._ While not everyone knew of witches, everyone who was anyone that knew of Flames knew that the new _I Prescelti Sette_ weren’t going down without a fight.

They were able to finally figure out who was behind it, anyway.

It was, of course, Skull and Reborn to figure it out.

Skull was messing with a book on motorcycles (trying to read it, but English was damn confusing, even for _him_ ) when he felt that prickling again. Reborn shifted in his seat.

Skull yawned. If only that tingle didn’t remind him of Kaguya, then he’d be fine. Really. He’d be fi –

 _Wait._ He flipped a page, his eyes not seeing the words.

Nobody felt like Kaguya unless they were related to her.This was definitely a Flame presence, too – could it be possible -?

Skull set the book down and stood up.

“Lackey, I didn’t say you could –“

“I need to reapply my makeup,” Skull yawned. That was a lie. He needed to meditate. Bathroom was somewhere the eyes never seemed to watch for some reason.

He closed his eyes, makeup pencil poised. Not long after standing there, he was sucked into his inner world – but he sat down rather than talk to them, waiting until he was drawn into the purple place he’d been when meeting with the old sage.

The old Sage met his questioning stare with an inquisitive one of his own.

“Where did Kaguya come from?”

The sage closed his eyes. **“The place where you have settled,”** the old man sighed. **“The mirror you have used was created as a gateway. The Uzumaki sealed it, but only after giving the Hokage and the Shodai Tsuchikage pieces of it.”**

“That explains how Madara got a piece of it,” Skull frowned. “It connects _only_ to this world?”

The sage gave a short nod. **“You know how I trapped my mother; you did it yourself. Whatever happens with this one, I tell you this – have care. This one is not as unstable as Kaguya.”**

Skull opened his eyes and took a deep breath, setting his makeup pencil back in its case, staring at the mirror.

He bit his thumb and sealed it.

He tripped, completely on purpose, and fell on Reborn.

Reborn allowed this.

Skull jumped up with a fake smile. “Sorry about that!”

“ _Run,”_ Reborn advised, pointing his weapon at him.

Skull ran, sealing the mirror Tsunade had given him once he was at an unsafe hiding spot. As he heard Reborn approaching, he jumped out, colliding with him again and slipping the mirror back into his pocket.

It was time to confront the bastard.

~:~

Skull’s words rang in all of their ears. He was solemn and serious.

Lal exhaled. “Well, fuck,” she said, closing her eyes. “We’re going to have to go against a primordial being, aren’t we?”

“You don’t have to,” Skull shrugged. “It’s more like he’s _my_ great uncle, anyway.”

“I think there’s a far deeper story there than ‘he’s related to the bastard who destroyed my world’,” deadpanned Viper.

“There is,” Skull nodded. “My entire world is probably related to her because the Sage of Sixt Paths was her son. Also, progenitor of chakra users. Those in the line of the Sage are gifted with chakra – I mean, there weren’t that many _with_ chakra in the time of the Sage. He was the sole dude who could give it and take it – along with his sons. So anyway, bottom line is, everyone in my world is probably related to the Sage of Six Paths. I simply happen to be _more_ so, directly descended from his son.”

He winked a purple-shadowed eye at them.

“I find that _genuinely_ hard to believe,” Verde sniffed.

“You won’t after we fuck up Eye-man,” Skull promised him, still smiling.

~:~

Renato took a long moment to just breathe as he stepped into the mansion. Skull had gone ahead, apparently the one _knowing how to lay a trap._

How the hell Renato had nearly _not_ taken that nearly boring-ass job to kill the stuntman, Renato wouldn’t know.

_“I want you to kill a stuntman,” one of the many dons who’d hired Renato (despite his not-so-cheap price) several times hissed. “He’s showed me up one too many times!”_

_Ah, yes, this man had always been raving at the ‘Immortal’ stuntman who’d made his debut a couple years previous, showing up out of nowhere and quickly gaining the moniker ‘Immortal Skull’. The don had once said, in earshot, that his own son sucked compared to the ‘Immortal Skull’._

_Renato was bored. Taking a quick glance at the picture of the stuntman, he had his lips ready to say ‘no’. But he said yes, instead – at least his boredom would be relieved if he made it_ fun.

_“Whatever,” Renato dismissed, standing up and taking the folder and first half of the payment._

_Finding the stuntman was no real challenge. Rooting through his apartment? Also no challenge._

_Finding out the stuntman thought more of that precious mirror and finding out the stuntman was almost legitimately immortal?_

_He shouldn’t have been doubtful._

Skull certainly brought more color in the world, but sometimes Renato kind of wished the shinobi would slow down.

Skull was the first in the meeting room, as planned. The presence of the ever-watching eyes was growing far more oppressive as Renato slid into his seat.

Slowly, the others filled in the seats. Luce entered, bags under her eyes.

“Today, my friend and I want us to go on a picnic. To give you gifts.”

“Presents?!” Skull sounded _extremely_ excited.

“Presents,” Luce confirmed, arching an eyebrow. “You act like it’s the first one you’ve ever gotten!”

“It’s the first one I’ve ever gotten from a mafia boss,” Skull smiled, almost childishly.

They followed Luce out. Colonello brought up the back, Viper behind Lal. Skull was the one up front.

The long and winding mountain path was one way. If Renato had a flair for the dramatic, he’d say it gave off a vaguely foreboding feeling as they marched forth.

At the top of the mountain path, in a small valley of flowers surrounded by the peaks – Renato noticed Skull seemed to have moments of genuine _oh shit I’m extremely high up_ – were several picnic tables. They looked old and worn, and on seven places was a gift box – or seven, considering there were _seven_ people, and all of them were the same size.

A man with a checkered mask met Luche there.

“I’m Checkerface,” the man greeted, his voice neither warm nor cold.

“Let’s eat before opening presents,” Luche intervened.

~:~

“What if they don’t open the boxes at the same time?”

“You obviously don’t remember the Mist was the only one to willingly put it on.” A scoff was heard. “If they’re willing and accept the consequences, the pacifiers will be put upon them. And if it _must_ be forced, then they will _still_ bear the consequences.”

~:~

Skull had a small, _tiny_ confession to make.

He had _never_ been as high up as he was now.

Well, okay – he’d been in a plane. But gods, just _thinking_ of the edge of the cliff he’d just been standing next to he felt seriously sick. In the Elemental Nations, while they had cliffs like that – hell, he could name a few right off the bat – there was the comfort of knowing _where_ you were.

That, and ever since Jiraiya threw him off that _sheer cliff,_ he’d had a small fear of heights. So yes, okay. He was just bullshitting himself.

Even now, as everyone silently ate their food, Luce attempting to draw everyone in conversation, Skull’s mind whirled with ideas.

“Now, gifts!”

Skull had a bad feeling. His eyes connected with Renato’s.

Renato’s eyes held mistrust in them, yes… Skull’s eyes met Checkerface’s.

Checkerface stared back at him with no emotion.

“Presents!” Skull gasped, grabbing his and ripping it open as everyone followed his cue. “I _love…_ the _fuck?!”_

Okay, this was fucking _weird._

Why the hell would you gift a _pacifier_ to someone?

Skull looked up, letting the purple pacifier dangle from his fingers.

“The fuck is this?”

“A burden.” Checkerface bowed his head, hiding his face. “If you do not wear them –“

“I’ve had enough of your games,” Lal announced, slamming her hand on the picnic table. “Who _are_ you, and why the _hell_ have you been watching us?”

Her pacifier, a pretty gold, caught Skull’s eyes.

Slowly he looked around. _“Arcobaleno,”_ he said softly, tilting his head as he turned to Checkerface once more. “The previous _I Prescelti Sette_ died too soon for the Arcobaleno to be complete, hmm?”

“No,” Checkerface shook his head. “I am tasked with finding a balance for this world. I have made my choice – the strongest Flame users. If you remain alive for a certain amount of time, I will give all of you a chance to free yourselves from this curse.”

Skull’s lips tightened. Any plan of his had been derailed by _leaving._ Whatever this was, it kinda screwed his plans up even _more._

“How, when it will suck out our Flames?” Verde hissed.

“You never mentioned that,” Colonello deadpanned.

“It wasn’t important!” Verde glared at Checkerface, who sighed.

“One among you is the strongest Cloud Flame that I have ever seen. If you don’t wish to take this curse with the possibility of being freed later on –“

“Do you swear to act upon your word?” Skull’s eyes narrowed, glaring directly at the man.

The man with the checkered mask bowed. “You have my word, upon my Flames.”

Skull took a deep breath.

_Gods, let Renato forgive me._

He set the pacifier around his neck.

Lal closed her eyes and put hers around her neck.

Slowly but surely, everyone put their new pacifiers around their necks.

When the last one had done it – Renato – there was a pause.

Each pacifier lit up, from Sky to Cloud; Skull’s was the last one to ignite.

The Rainbow Curse flared.

~:~

A child-sized motorcycle stopped at a school. A giant octopus, a result of the curse the child he was carrying was under, lifted said child up; a window was flung open, the child standing on the windowsill of Nami-chuu.

“ _Reborn!”_ A grenade – smoke, not actually real – was revealed to the class; there were many screams.

One gunshot later and the helmeted child fell backwards, the smoke grenade clattering to the ground and filling the air with smoke.

The giant octopus managed to catch his falling charge, though the helmet fell off to reveal purple hair and purple eyes and – well, you get the picture, it’s Skull.

He was lifted again by the tentacles.

“Are you into ecchi, lackey? That’s _repulsive!”_

“FUCK, DON’T SHOO –“

_Bang!_

“DON’T SWEAR IN FRONT OF THE CHILDREN, LACKEY!”

Just another day in the life of the Arcobaleno.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's the final chapter of this story. 
> 
> I do plan on a sequel.


End file.
